Data brokers in the state of Vermont will now have to register as such with the state, take standard security measures and notify authorities of security breaches. In addition, using their data for criminal purposes is now its own actionable offense. These data brokers collect information on people from as many sources as possible, buying and selling it and, as long as they step carefully, they can remain under the radar. For instance, according to Pam Dixon, director of the World Privacy Forum, these data brokers create legal credit scores based upon things like shopping habits and zip codes, while making educated guesses about health conditions based on prescriptions.
