Could my background check data be accessible on the web? (unemployed, employer)

[PeetTweet]

My new boss sent me to an established private company for a routine fingerprint and background check.

The report is clean (no concerns). I'm very sure my employer will keep such personal data private.

What I hope you can tell me:

Is it possible the company might sell the data they collected about me? Or make it accessible on the web?

Or are they prohibited by law from sharing my personal data except with my employer who requested it?

Just a privacy question. Thanks.

[Tigeru]

If there aren't any concerns I'd let them sell mine. I'm unemployed I'll take as many people seeing my clean report as I can get.

[Rabrrita]

Your EMPLOYER can not sell your personal identifiable information. BUT, the companies that did the background check may depending on who they are. Additionally, many of these companies simply buy the date from someone else. The days of some investigator rummaging through files and computers databases for a background check is long gone. Today we provide the personal information and buy computer background checks that conform to all state and federal laws. We can also buy from data/information brokers who operate without such limits. Many companies do both so they get the "official" version and the dirty version.

[Hemlock140]

Even the law doesn't matter any more, as you know many stores, banks, and even online companies like that recent Ashley Madison thing are subject to hacking. I wouldn't worry though, no one cares about your great background check, they would be more interested in bad ones.

[PeetTweet]

Thank you, Rabrrita and Hemlock140, for the helpful insights.

On the one hand, as a privacy advocate, I think selling people's background-check data is concerning.

On the other hand, it sounds like they won't sell mine because it's clean ("boring").