Eight Forty-Eight on 2/13/12: Our data, ourselves!

Eight Forty-Eight on 2/13/12: Our data, ourselves!

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Here are the segments today on Eight Forty-Eight: You can stream the show live at 9am.

(AP/file)

Our Data, Ourselves: As Americans spend more of their lives online, companies are finding an increasing number of ways to follow our data trails and find out all sorts of things about our spending habits, our likes and our dislikes. The information is being used to determine things like a person’s access to credit, employability and insurance coverage. Kevin Johnson explains how he received a letter from a credit card company saying it lowered his credit limit because of where he shopped. Erin Peterson, head of talent acquisition for Aon Hewitt, says why employers care more and more about candidates’ social media profiles. And Lori Andrews, a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law explains the legal implications. To join the conversation, call 312.923.9239.

Vacant Properties: Vacant homes have become a hazard to whole neighborhoods. Community groups are fighting everything from crime, to fire hazards to just keeping grass clipped. It turns out this is a problem for local governments too. Last summer the city of Chicago took the step of making lenders accountable for the cost of maintaining vacant homes, and on Monday, Cook County will also be holding the likes of Bank of America accountable. WBEZ’s Natalie Moore and Chicago magazine’s Dennis Rodkin provide the details.