Zach Edwards

Zach Edwards is a prominent cybersecurity and privacy researcher whose work has repeatedly exposed the hidden data flows, tracking infrastructure, and surveillance practices embedded in the digital advertising ecosystem. He is best known for meticulous, publicly shared investigations into data brokers, ad-tech vendors, and the ways personal data is harvested and monetized without meaningful user consent. His research has been cited by journalists, regulators, and privacy advocates globally. Edwards co-founded DecryptAds, a venture focused on bringing transparency to the opaque world of digital advertising and ad-tech data practices. Prior to this, he was a senior researcher at Human Security (formerly White Ops), where he contributed to fraud detection and bot mitigation research. He has also been affiliated with the Global Disinformation Index and has collaborated with investigative journalists at outlets including VICE, Motherboard, and others on stories exposing tracking and surveillance in ad networks. He is a frequent and respected voice on topics including mobile data tracking, location data brokers, programmatic advertising transparency, and the intersection of national security with ad-tech data collection. His public research on platforms like Twitter/X has built him a significant following among privacy professionals, journalists, and policymakers.

Last updated Oct 24, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment