IdentityGuard markets its IBM Watson AI-powered monitoring as a premium feature, but this AI processing raises significant privacy questions. Your sensitive identity data is analyzed by machine learning systems, and the policy is unclear about data retention for AI training. Additionally, Aura's acquisition means your data may flow between both services.
| Data Type | Collected | Shared | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security Number | Yes | Credit Bureaus, IBM Watson | No |
| Financial Account Info | Yes | Monitoring, AI Analysis | No |
| Credit Report Data | Yes | Aura, AI Processing | No |
| Dark Web Scan Results | Yes | Internal Systems | No |
| Device Information | Yes | Analytics, Aura | Unclear |
Your identity data is processed by IBM Watson's AI systems for threat detection. The policy doesn't clearly explain what data IBM retains, whether it's used for AI training, or how long IBM stores your information.
Since Aura acquired IdentityGuard, data sharing between the two services is permitted. If you use Aura's other services, your identity data may be combined with VPN, antivirus, and password data for a comprehensive profile.
Beyond IBM, IdentityGuard may share data with other AI and analytics partners for "improving services." The specific partners and their data practices are not disclosed in the privacy policy.
Different subscription tiers collect different amounts of data. Higher tiers with more monitoring features require more personal information, but the policy applies the same broad sharing permissions regardless of tier.
The use of AI for identity monitoring raises specific privacy questions:
IdentityGuard's data deletion process has notable gaps:
IdentityGuard scores 30 on privacy - below average for an already low-scoring category. The combination of AI processing, Aura ownership, and vague third-party sharing creates significant privacy risks beyond standard identity protection services.