A search engine on the Web that finds detailed information about a person. Also called an "information broker," a people search site queries social platforms, government watch lists, court records, traffic offenses and criminal records. Very often, the search goes through a lengthy process ticking off all the sources of investigation and interspersing messages claiming how indispensable the information will be in just a few minutes. At the end and before displaying any results, the site asks the user for payment. See
search engine and
information broker.