Topic: Research News
Researchers at Northeastern University found that Home Depot collects personal data on its customers, including their household size and finances. But this data is often incorrect, which can affect how products are marketed to them and whether they receive job or credit offers.
Christo Wilson, a professor at Northeastern University's Khoury College of Computer Sciences, is a regular customer at Home Depot. He buys gardening supplies every spring to keep his landscaping looking its best. But when he requested his customer data profile from Home Depot, he found that the company thought he was a Western European woman living with six other people.
This is not an isolated incident. A recent report by an intercollegiate cohort of researchers found that Home Depot collects extensive personal data on its customers, including their household size, finances, education, and job. They also collect geolocation data and create profiles with inaccurate information, known as
Implications
Researchers at Northeastern University found that Home Depot collects personal data on its customers, including their household size and finances. But this data is often incorrect, which can affect how products are marketed to them and whether they receive job or credit offers.
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