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Datacoup Wants to Help Consumers Sell Their Data

TMCnet Feature

September 08, 2014

Datacoup Wants to Help Consumers Sell Their Data

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By Frank Griffin
TMCnet Contributing Writer

Google (News - Alert), Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many other online companies provide free services in exchange for the data users provide. This data is analyzed to deliver valuable insight into consumer behavior, which is used to advertise products and services. Most people have come to terms with providing this information because they are receiving free services, and as they say a fair exchange is no robbery, but a company called Datacoup is looking to change this arrangement by helping consumers sell their data.


The company was established in 2012 to give consumers better transparency as to how the information they provide is being used as well as compensating them for their data. After developing the platform for two years and receiving seed funding, the company finally launched its product with its personal data marketplace.

According to the Guardian, customers can expect to make around £5 (approximately $8.16) a month, with a maximum of $10. And while this is a small amount, knowing exactly how all the information you provide is being used could prove to be more valuable than the meager monthly sum.

Unlike big data brokers and aggregators Acxiom (News - Alert), Datalogix and Epsilon who collect this information and sell it in the marketplace without full knowledge of the consumer, Datacoup is taking a different approach as these organizations have caught the attention of global regulators including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC (News - Alert)).

According to the company’s co-founder, Matt Hogan, there is a large market for this business model, which he believes could be worth anywhere between $10 and $15 billion.

The platform works by getting permission from users for their online accounts so it can start collecting data; this includes everything from Facebook (News - Alert) to Instagram. Depending on how much information you want to give out, you can also share financial transaction from credit and debit cards.

Once it starts collecting this information it gives its customers specific information that is being taken from each account and the value it has for the company that is requesting this particular data. Payments are made through PayPal (News - Alert) once a month.

Currently the Datacoup is the only one purchasing the data, but according to its website it is lining up data purchasers.  The pricing model for the data is based on the individual data attributes within each account. The company then checks for each attribute within the account to factor in the final price. These attributes were ranked as low, medium and high value, with spending data attributes having the highest value in its pricing model.




Edited by Alisen Downey


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