After receiving a sudden surge of junk mail directed at new
parents--even though his wife at the time was merely pregnant-- Erik
Larson, the National Bestselling author, set out to explore the lengths
companies go to spy on individual consumers.
Posing as a CEO of a fictitious direct-mail corporation, Larson
infiltrated companies that gather and sell personal information to
assist businesses in their marketing campaigns. He discovered the
systems used to gather personal data, the staggering amount of personal
information companies can gather, and the government's role in helping
companies learn about you.