Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/32013-use-of-data-brokers?unfold=1 on September 30, 2025 15:58

Use of data brokers

Dale made this Official Information request to New Zealand Police

Response to this request is delayed. By law, New Zealand Police should normally have responded promptly and by (details and exceptions)

From: Dale

Dear New Zealand Police,

Under the OIA, I request the following information

1. Confirmation of whether Police has ever, for any purpose, directly or indirectly purchased, licensed, or otherwise acquired data about people from private data brokers including where that data was described, presented, or claimed to be anonymous, pseudonymous, de-identified, or similar.

For this request, “private data broker” means a commercial entity whose business is to collect, aggregate, analyse, and sell or license data about individuals obtained from multiple sources (e.g., public records, online activity, consumer transactions, mobile apps, sensors, or other datasets), whether or not the data is described as anonymised, pseudonymised, de-identified, or otherwise stripped of direct identifiers.

This may include commercial data aggregators providing bulk datasets on populations or large groups, such as mobility/location data, consumer purchase histories, marketing profiles, identity verification databases, or risk-scoring datasets.

It does not include any lawful, case-specific requests for information from telecommunications companies, banks, or other service providers relating to an already identified person(s) (e.g., warrants, production orders, or equivalent legal processes).

Nor does it include data sharing between government agencies under existing statutory powers or MOUs, publicly available datasets accessed without a commercial agreement, or data collected directly by Police from individuals through its own services or functions.

2. For any such instances, please provide:
• The name of the data broker or supplying entity
• The date or time period of acquisition
• A brief description of the type or category of data obtained
• The claimed level of anonymisation or pseudonymisation
• The purpose for which the data was acquired
• Whether the data was retained, deleted, or shared with any other party (and, if shared, with whom)

3. If Police has a policy, guideline, standard, or internal process relating to the acquisition or use of anonymous or pseudonymous data from private data brokers, please provide a copy.

4. If Police has undertaken any assessment or analysis regarding the privacy, security, or ethical implications of acquiring anonymous or pseudonymous data from private data brokers, please provide a copy of that assessment or analysis.

Yours faithfully,
Dale

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From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police

Tēnā koe Dale

I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request below.

Your reference number is IR-01-25-29862.

You can expect a response to your request on or before 11 September 2025 unless an extension is needed.

Ngā mihi, Michelle
Advisor - Police National Headquarters

-----Original Message-----
From: Dale <[FOI #32013 email]>
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2025 9:30 PM
To: Ministerial Services <[email address]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Official Information request - Use of data brokers

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the New Zealand Police Network. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and are assured that the content is safe.

Dear New Zealand Police,

Under the OIA, I request the following information

1. Confirmation of whether Police has ever, for any purpose, directly or indirectly purchased, licensed, or otherwise acquired data about people from private data brokers including where that data was described, presented, or claimed to be anonymous, pseudonymous, de-identified, or similar.

For this request, “private data broker” means a commercial entity whose business is to collect, aggregate, analyse, and sell or license data about individuals obtained from multiple sources (e.g., public records, online activity, consumer transactions, mobile apps, sensors, or other datasets), whether or not the data is described as anonymised, pseudonymised, de-identified, or otherwise stripped of direct identifiers.

This may include commercial data aggregators providing bulk datasets on populations or large groups, such as mobility/location data, consumer purchase histories, marketing profiles, identity verification databases, or risk-scoring datasets.

It does not include any lawful, case-specific requests for information from telecommunications companies, banks, or other service providers relating to an already identified person(s) (e.g., warrants, production orders, or equivalent legal processes).

Nor does it include data sharing between government agencies under existing statutory powers or MOUs, publicly available datasets accessed without a commercial agreement, or data collected directly by Police from individuals through its own services or functions.

2. For any such instances, please provide:
• The name of the data broker or supplying entity • The date or time period of acquisition • A brief description of the type or category of data obtained • The claimed level of anonymisation or pseudonymisation • The purpose for which the data was acquired • Whether the data was retained, deleted, or shared with any other party (and, if shared, with whom)

3. If Police has a policy, guideline, standard, or internal process relating to the acquisition or use of anonymous or pseudonymous data from private data brokers, please provide a copy.

4. If Police has undertaken any assessment or analysis regarding the privacy, security, or ethical implications of acquiring anonymous or pseudonymous data from private data brokers, please provide a copy of that assessment or analysis.

Yours faithfully,
Dale

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #32013 email]

Is [New Zealand Police request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to New Zealand Police? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

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===============================================================

WARNING

The information contained in this email message is intended for the addressee only and may contain privileged information. It may also be subject to the provisions of section 50 of the Policing Act 2008, which creates an offence to have unlawful possession of Police property. If you are not the intended recipient of this message or have received this message in error, you must not peruse, use, distribute or copy this message or any of its contents. Also note, the views expressed in this message may not necessarily reflect those of the New Zealand Police. If you have received this message in error, please email or telephone the sender immediately

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From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police

Kia ora
I refer to your request below. I have been asked to advise you that Police requires an extension of time in which to respond to your request, pursuant to section 15A(1) of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). Specifically, section 15A(1)(b), consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.
Police requires until 2 October 2025 to provide a substantive response to your request, however we are endeavouring to provide this to you as soon as possible.

You have the right, under section 28(3) of the OIA, to make a complaint to an Ombudsman about this extension. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Lisa (she/her)
Advisor - Ministerial Services
Police National Headquarters

-----Original Message-----
From: Ministerial Services
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2025 8:58 AM
To: Dale <[FOI #32013 email]>
Subject: OIA acknowledgement IR-01-25-29862 - Use of data brokers

Tēnā koe Dale

I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request below.

Your reference number is IR-01-25-29862.

You can expect a response to your request on or before 11 September 2025 unless an extension is needed.

Ngā mihi, Michelle
Advisor - Police National Headquarters

-----Original Message-----
From: Dale <[FOI #32013 email]>
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2025 9:30 PM
To: Ministerial Services <[email address]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Official Information request - Use of data brokers

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the New Zealand Police Network. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and are assured that the content is safe.

Dear New Zealand Police,

Under the OIA, I request the following information

1. Confirmation of whether Police has ever, for any purpose, directly or indirectly purchased, licensed, or otherwise acquired data about people from private data brokers including where that data was described, presented, or claimed to be anonymous, pseudonymous, de-identified, or similar.

For this request, “private data broker” means a commercial entity whose business is to collect, aggregate, analyse, and sell or license data about individuals obtained from multiple sources (e.g., public records, online activity, consumer transactions, mobile apps, sensors, or other datasets), whether or not the data is described as anonymised, pseudonymised, de-identified, or otherwise stripped of direct identifiers.

This may include commercial data aggregators providing bulk datasets on populations or large groups, such as mobility/location data, consumer purchase histories, marketing profiles, identity verification databases, or risk-scoring datasets.

It does not include any lawful, case-specific requests for information from telecommunications companies, banks, or other service providers relating to an already identified person(s) (e.g., warrants, production orders, or equivalent legal processes).

Nor does it include data sharing between government agencies under existing statutory powers or MOUs, publicly available datasets accessed without a commercial agreement, or data collected directly by Police from individuals through its own services or functions.

2. For any such instances, please provide:
• The name of the data broker or supplying entity • The date or time period of acquisition • A brief description of the type or category of data obtained • The claimed level of anonymisation or pseudonymisation • The purpose for which the data was acquired • Whether the data was retained, deleted, or shared with any other party (and, if shared, with whom)

3. If Police has a policy, guideline, standard, or internal process relating to the acquisition or use of anonymous or pseudonymous data from private data brokers, please provide a copy.

4. If Police has undertaken any assessment or analysis regarding the privacy, security, or ethical implications of acquiring anonymous or pseudonymous data from private data brokers, please provide a copy of that assessment or analysis.

Yours faithfully,
Dale

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #32013 email]

Is [New Zealand Police request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to New Zealand Police? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

===============================================================

WARNING

The information contained in this email message is intended for the addressee only and may contain privileged information. It may also be subject to the provisions of section 50 of the Policing Act 2008, which creates an offence to have unlawful possession of Police property. If you are not the intended recipient of this message or have received this message in error, you must not peruse, use, distribute or copy this message or any of its contents. Also note, the views expressed in this message may not necessarily reflect those of the New Zealand Police. If you have received this message in error, please email or telephone the sender immediately

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