INDIANAPOLIS — You don’t have a choice.
If you go to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to apply for a license or register a car, you have to supply some personal information like your name, address, and age.
And the BMV can turn around and sell your information.
Indiana law permits the BMV to sell personal data and it’s a practice that goes back years but was first pointed out by NewsNation affiliate WXIN in November 2021.
“I’ve heard from Hoosiers across this state that have followed your stories,” said State Senator Rodney Pol.
For two years, Pol introduced legislation to give Hoosiers a choice on whether their personal data was sold. But in 2022 and this year, the bills didn’t even get a committee hearing.
The business of selling data has been good for the BMV. A report released earlier this month estimates this year the agency will make $25.6 million from the sales.
That same report notes the money taken in pays for an array of things at the agency’s branches including salaries, lease payments, security, utility charges, and the purchase of new technologies.
“It’s become such a common practice that now it becomes part of their operating budget,” said Pol.
What are frustrated Hoosiers to do?
Pol suggested reaching out to state lawmakers, because minus a change in state law the BMV will continue to have the option of selling customers data.
