data exhaust

American  

[dey-tuh ig-zawst] / ˈdeɪ tə ɪgˌzɔst /

noun

Computers.

1. unstructured information or data that is a by-product of the online activities of internet users.

   Collecting and analyzing data exhaust can provide valuable insight into the purchasing habits of consumers.

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Etymology

Origin of data exhaust

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

That context exists somewhere in our data exhaust.

From Time • Jul. 9, 2015

Technology companies have designed products to produce a data exhaust, often deliberately.

From Slate • Sep. 2, 2014

For instance, the information that photographers, musicians, and writers create is not at all the same as the data exhaust that we all give off as we go about our Internet-connected lives.

From Slate • May 3, 2013

A world in which we all eke out an income based on royalties from our data exhaust is hardly an inspiring alternative to the dystopia he fears.

From Slate • May 3, 2013