The growing use of e-scores—the digital valuations of a consumer’s purchasing potential—is becoming an important component to predictive consumer analytics but has federal regulators and consumer advocates worried it could put certain consumers at a financial disadvantage, The New York Times reports. Some advocates believe the practice creates a two-tiered system that can deny low-value consumers various opportunities. Neustar Chief Privacy Officer Becky Burr, CIPP/US, said the system helps companies locate and communicate with their markets. “They want to allocate their marketing money efficiently, and consumers want messages that are relevant,” she said, adding, the scores are predictions about consumer groups, not individuals. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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