The True Value of Your Data

Fingerprints (dermatoglyphs) are considered to be unique to each and every individual on this planet. Whether it be due to genetic or environmental factors, there is simply something that makes each print and set of prints unlike any other, with this being the case even with identical twins. The same appears to be true of the human face and of the human body as a whole

If we ignore the recent (and thankfully failed postponed) Chat Control 2.0 proposal, it would appear that the Danish government’s heart is in the right place here. The bill is not as extensive as it may seem at first glance, however. Its primary goal is to combat the nonconsensual sharing of “realistic digital reproductions of personal characteristics such as your face, body, and voice.” (Culbert Ellis, 27 Aug 2025). That’s right; perverts can still generate pornographic imagery of anyone they like, as long as they don’t share it.

As intelligence analysts, we know that any piece of information constitutes data if it is capable of being logged, processed, and analyzed (followed by dissemination and, potentially, practical application). Your shoe size, which side of the bed you sleep on, who you just sent money to via your Revolut account, the modes of transportation you utilize, the pubs you frequent - all of this is your personal data, and your unique facial or bodily features are no different.

The implication of the law discussed above is that you have some sort of moral-legal ownership over your personal data. The truth of the matter is that your data is being collected, analyzed, abused and used to build government and advertiser profiles on you on an everyday basis. Through the irresponsibility or straight idiocy of various companies and institutions, your data has also likely fallen into the hands of various threat actors via database leaks and breaches, ranging from scammers to malicious hackers. You can check this for yourself on https://haveibeenpwned.com or commission a digital footprint report from us if you think we’re exaggerating here.

In the paragraph above, we mentioned advertiser profiles. Until recently, this has probably been the most profitable way of commodifying and monetizing your data. This is what those dreadful cookies are all about - they contribute to the data collection process, which in turn leads to the existence of an advertiser profile that can be used to transmit the product advertisement with the highest possible chance of catching your attention directly to your computer or mobile device screen. These profiles are usually compiled from various sources, including your Google searches and browsing history, the data from your smart watch, your Spotify use statistics, your favorite streaming platform use statistics, and many many other sources - it’s genuinely impossible to name them all, and that should definitely creep you out.

You may be asking: who is actually behind these advertiser profiles, and who provides the data? Firstly, there is one assumption that is entirely safe to make: anyone who can sell your data, will most definitely do so. Check the terms and conditions of any of the services you use, or the companies and websites you interact with, and you will find myriad mentions of the way your data is handled and can potentially be sold. The data is then bought by rather shady (and mostly international) companies called data brokers. Data brokers companies put these profiles together, and then sell them to the highest bidders, with these usually being the companies that deliver the advertisements directly to you. That isn’t always the case, however, as states and intelligence agencies have also been known to purchase this data when necessary, regardless of whether they are hostile or not to your person or country. Data brokers thus represent not only a threat to your privacy, but also to your security and that of your country.

With the advent of AI, your data has become even more valuable than ever, as it is an absolutely vital resource necessary for the training of — and the constant improvement of — Large Language Models (LLMs) that are bringing in billions to companies like OpenAI, Google, or Meta — all at your expense. If you have ever shared any data with these companies, it has most likely been used for this purpose – yes, most probably even your personal emails and messages.

We, CzechAlert, believe that your personal data is your most valuable asset, as well as your greatest vulnerability. We likewise stand firmly on the side of digital rights and privacy, and it is our mission to combat the use and abuse of the personal data of ordinary citizens. As such, you may be asking: what can even be done? Hasn’t this system of what is essentially data theft gone far beyond whatever our means may be of stopping it?

Firstly, we urge you to guard your data as you guard your very own body, and to get educated in what rights you have over your data, and how valuable it can truly be. Such knowledge is useful now, and it will certainly be even more useful in the coming years. Secondly, we strongly recommend that you take concrete steps to bolster your digital privacy, and we invite you to take these steps with us through our privacy consulting services.

Last but not least, stay tuned for more, as this is only the first article in our three-part series on personal data.

Stay Alert.