professor joseph turow. dr. turow's the associate dean for graduate studies at the annenberg school for communication at the university of pennsylvania. >> thank you, chairman rockefeller, members of the committee. in a bit of a different tack, i'd like to address two key questions about data brokers and their collection of information about americans for marketing purposes. first, if we take sensitive -- first, if we take sensitive topics like health and employment out of the equation, what possible harm can come from using people's data for marketing purposes? after all, what we're talking about is simply targeting for product advertising. second, haven't data brokers and their lists been around for over a century, and if so, what makes them today any different from the past? let's start with a history question. it's true that marketers compiled and bought lists of prospects way back into the 19th century. these lists became more detailed in the 20th century. but the differences between lists 35 be years ago a

i would like to ask another question and this is coming right at you.or turow.ou have been taking all kinds of notes. i would like to further load the notion that data brokers are selling to target a specific interests and of consumers. let's take a product called relying on aid. this is a grouping of consumers at the reduced -- defined as follows. the single retirees are limited means and meager retirement savings are just barely able to make ends meet. the description goes on to say with only a high school education at best it's been hard to get ahead. poorly insured and medicare medicaid dependent they are generally pessimistic about the economic situation and incidentally about themselves. my question to you professor turow in your testimony you highlight of the ways companies may be using such consumer list that don't necessarily involve product pitches such as deciding who should have to wait longer for customer service and who should he rejected as a valued customer for what should be offered -- who should be offered coupons for nonnutritious food. what t

turow. you have been taking all kinds of notes, see you are ready? >> i would like to explore the notion that marketers are targeting pitches to the specific needs of consumers. calledake a product relying on aid. this is a grouping of consumers that are defined as follows: the single retirees with meager means and savings are barely able to make ends meet. say,escription goes on to with only a high school education at best, it has been hard to get ahead. medicaresured and dependent, they are pessimistic about their economic situation. my question to you is, and your testimony, you highlighted some ways that companies may be using such consumer led that do not involve prior pitches -- product pictures. who should be offered coupons, line, whatwait in thoughts come to your mind when you hear data brokers or marketing descriptions like aid to potential consumers? >> it is not unpredictable. it has been going on for years. it will get worse as the baby boomers get older. we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg here. one of the issues is also that as w

turow. you have been taking all kinds of notes, see you are ready? >> i would like to explore the notion that marketers are targeting pitches to the specific needs of consumers. let's take a product called relying on aid. this is a grouping of consumers that are defined as follows: the single retirees with meager means and savings are barely able to make ends meet. the description goes on to say, with only a high school education at best, it has been hard to get ahead. poorly insured and medicare dependent, they are pessimistic about their economic situation. my question to you is, and your testimony, you highlighted some ways that companies may be using such consumer led that do not involve prior pitches -- product pictures. who should be offered coupons, who should wait in line, what thoughts come to your mind when you hear data brokers or marketing descriptions like relying on aid to potential consumers? >> it is not unpredictable. it has been going on for years. it will get worse as the baby boomers get older. we are only seeing the tip of the ic