Method, medium, and system for detecting data misuse

1. A method comprising:

electronically registering a plurality of data sellers with a computer-implemented data exchange;

electronically registering a plurality of data buyers with the computer-implemented data exchange;

mediating data sharing arrangements between pairs of the data buyers and data sellers, the arrangements defining prices and permitted uses of a first data list provided by a data seller to a data buyer, the first data list being for use in distributing content to users;

providing access to the first data list to the data buyer for use in distributing content items to users, the first data list including at least one dummy item, the at least one dummy item being uniquely identifying;

receiving additional data associated with the data buyer that has been uploaded for use in distributing content items to users by the data buyer, the additional data including the at least one dummy item;

determining, by one or more computer processors and based at least in part on the at least one dummy item being included in the additional data, that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list; and

providing, to one or more data sellers, a notification that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list;

wherein the at least one dummy item comprises a dummy cookie.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional data comprises a second data list, and wherein the determining comprises comparing the second data list to one or more additional data lists to determine whether a similarity exists between the second data list and the one or more additional data lists.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising identifying the data buyer as being in violation of the one or more permitted uses of the first data list when the similarity exceeds a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first data list comprises a plurality of user identities and one or more characteristics associated with the plurality of user identities.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise Internet browsing habits associated with the plurality of user identities.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dummy cookie is received from the data buyer.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list comprises detecting a possession of the dummy cookie by the data buyer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein detecting possession of the dummy cookie comprises performing a data synchronization operation with the data buyer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dummy cookie is received from a user.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list comprises determining that the data buyer has transmitted the dummy cookie to the user.

11. A non-transitory computer storage device storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processing device to perform operations comprising:

electronically registering a plurality of data sellers with a computer-implemented data exchange;

electronically registering a plurality of data buyers with the computer-implemented data exchange;

mediating data sharing arrangements between pairs of the data buyers and data sellers, the arrangements defining prices and permitted uses of a first data list provided by a data seller to a data buyer, the first data list being for use in distributing content to users;

providing access to the first data list to the data buyer for use in distributing content items to users, the first data list including at least one dummy item, the at least one dummy item being uniquely identifying;

receiving additional data associated with the data buyer that has been uploaded for use in distributing content items to users by the data buyer, the additional data including the at least one dummy item;

determining, based at least in part on the at least one dummy item being included in the additional data, that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list; and

providing, to one or more data sellers, a notification that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list;

wherein the at least one dummy item comprises a dummy cookie.

12. A system comprising computer memory storing instructions, and one or more processing devices to execute the instructions to implement elements comprising:

a registration engine to:

electronically register a plurality of data sellers with a computer-implemented data exchange; and

electronically register a plurality of data buyers with the computer-implemented data exchange;

a mediation engine to mediate data sharing arrangements between pairs of the data buyers and data sellers, the arrangements defining prices and permitted uses of a first data list provided by a data seller to a data buyer, the first data list being for use in distributing content to users;

a data list manager to:

provide access to the first data list to the data buyer for use in distributing content items to users, the first data list including at least one dummy item, the at least one dummy item being uniquely identifying; and

receive additional data associated with the data buyer that has been uploaded for use in distributing content items to users by the data buyer, the additional data including the at least one dummy item; and

an audit engine to:

determine, based at least in part on the at least one dummy item being included in the additional data, that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list; and

provide a notification that the data buyer has violated one or more of the permitted uses of the first data list;

wherein the at least one dummy item comprises a dummy cookie.