Japan's 'information banks' to let users cash in on personal data

Monetary and other rewards await consumers who allow sharing

20190508N Japan smartphone users

People use smartphones outside an Apple Store in Tokyo. Information banks will not only give Japanese consumers greater control over their data, but also compensate them for it. © Reuters

JUNYA HEMMI, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- As dissatisfaction grows with how technology giants use personal data, Japanese businesses are offering a solution in the form of "information banks" that compensate customers for providing it.

Satellite broadcaster Sky Perfect JSAT Holdings and personal loan provider J.Score are among the companies setting up these banks, which also give users greater control over data distribution.

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