Background check services collect extensive personal history including criminal records, employment history, and credit data. I analyze privacy policies to understand data retention and sharing practices.
Side-by-side comparison of privacy scores across major background check services services.
| Service | Score | Grade | Key Privacy Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C
Checkr
Best in Category
|
52 | C | Extensive data retention, shares with employers indefinitely | View Review → |
|
G
GoodHire
|
45 | C- | Criminal records retained beyond legal requirements | View Review → |
|
H
HireRight
|
40 | C- | Global data sharing with employer networks | View Review → |
|
S
Sterling
Lowest in Category
|
35 | D+ | Permanent database of background checks | View Review → |
Background check data is retained indefinitely, creating permanent records of your personal history accessible to future employers.
Services access credit reports and retain financial history even when not relevant to the position.
Many services scrape social media profiles and retain this data without clear consent.
Even after disputes, data often remains in their systems and shared databases.
We also analyze background check services terms of service for consumer fairness issues like billing, cancellation, and liability.
View ToS Watchdog Background Check Services →Click through for complete privacy analysis of each service.
If you're worried about how these services are using your data, or need help understanding your rights under privacy laws, I can help.