See who's watching you online

Steve Kroft delves into the mission and methods of the data brokers, which are now drawing the attention of lawmakers and government regulators worried about the privacy of American consumers.

There are thousands of data brokers, Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes reports, sifting through government records, online searches, credit card purchases and other places, hunting for personal and identifiable information. Among the data they collect: user names, political affiliations, sexual orientation, income, religion and medical issues, including depression or alcoholism.

"You can buy from any number of data brokers by malady," says Facebook's former director of public policy Tim Sparapani. "The lists of individuals in America...afflicted with...cancer, heart disease, you name it down to the most rare," he says. And, says Sparapani, the information can wind up in a file sold to prospective employers or any entity a user may have business with. Think "Angry Birds" or "Brightest Flashlight Free" phone apps are really free?

They have been shown to be collecting their users' location information and other phone data and sharing it with analytic and digital advertising companies. This worries the Federal Trade Commission's Julie Brill, who wants to regulate the data brokers. "It's the kind of information that really talks about who you are...where you go...what time you come home."

[March 10]