Under the radar startup Personal has just announced a round of funding from a group of impressive backers. Personal has raised $7.6 million in a Series A round of investment from Grotech Ventures and Steve Case’s Revolution LLC with participation from Allen & Company and Eric Semler of TCS Capital Management (although this SEC filing indicates the startup raised $7.3 million)
Founded by the same management team that built business mapping application The Map Network (which was acquired by NAVTEQ in 2006), Personal aims to give consumers control over their digital data. Details are still sparse on how Personal does this, but the company says that it helps users prevent companies tracking, compiling and selling digital information without the consumer’s consent.
In particular, Personal highlights the invasiveness of online tracking as a problem in the consumers web. Shane Green, president and CEO of Personal says, “We aim to fundamentally turn the tables to empower consumers to become gatekeepers of their information and, if they choose, be rewarded for granting access to it, even anonymously.”
Personal, which is in private beta, is certainly emerging at a time when online privacy is a heated issue. Whether it be via Facebook, or through online advertising tracking methods, consumers are more aware of the privacy issues surrounding their digital data. Personal could be away for consumers to regain power over their data on the web.
Everything you do online and on your mobile phone is tracked and compiled by companies trying to figure “you” out. This Digital You includes what you like, read, and buy … even information about your kids, pets and friends. A multi-billion dollar marketplace has emerged to buy and sell this data and target you with advertising. Like it or not, all this information is fair game and it’s all captured and sold without your consent. This information is largely incomplete...
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