The more data we put online, the more likely it is that information will fall into the wrong hands. Detroit’s Hush, a digital privacy protection platform developed by co-founders Mykolas Rambus and Lynn Raynault, is designed to thwart more threats caused by data brokers.
There are services that monitor some data brokers — people who mine online data from public records and social media posts before selling it to companies for advertising, fraud detection, or risk manage-ment purposes — but much is left unprotected.
Hush monitors all 1,200 data brokers active in the U.S. The company states it uses AI to get past the results anyone can find on Google, and identifies and removes compromising data.
“Our Social Security numbers are (online), our dates of birth are there, our driver’s license, all that stuff is there,” Rambus says. “Where identity thieves succeed is when they combine what’s on the dark web (where users can remain anonymous) with what’s on the surface and deep web.”
Hush is looking to build on its success while expanding its capabilities.
“A long time ago we mortgaged privacy for convenience in this country. I think it’s beginning to change,” Rambus says.
