Web logs are a second source of valuable information.
The logs don't provide names, but indicate the number of hits taken by a particular site. You can tell that 20 percent of people who buy shoes also buy socks, but you can't dig down and get specific personal data about whether a certain person bought shoes. Many companies share Internet information or sell it to other companies, said David Brooks, national practice director of Encore Development in Jacksonville. You know if they close this loan they are going to need moving services, they might need painting and wallpaper services, they might need homeowners insurance. The mortgage partners can pass this information on to its partners, possibly for a fee.