profiling

[ proh-fahy-ling ]

noun

1. the use of personal characteristics or behavior patterns to make generalizations about a person, as in gender profiling
2. the use of these characteristics to determine whether a person may be engaged in illegal activity, as in racial profiling

profiling

/ ˈprəʊˌfaɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. the practice of categorizing people and predicting their behaviour according to particular characteristics such as race or age

   racial profiling

Example Sentences

The company runs a vast profiling machine, fitting people into categories that say who they are, what they’re worth, and how they’re expected to act.

From MIT Technology Review

Progressive profiling, in which marketers gather small amounts of data at a time, often via a series of forms on their website, also can help companies tailor email content, tone of voice, timing, and so on to better serve each audience segment.

From Search Engine Watch

Of the 119 complaints alleging racial and identity profiling in 2018 and 2019, the Sheriff’s Department determined that all but one were unfounded.

From Voice of San Diego

State law requires that police agencies turn over the total number of complaints against officers, including but not limited to allegations of racial or identity profiling.

From Voice of San Diego

Apple and Facebook are openly feuding over the future of online profiling and behavior tracking.

From Fortune

First on the to-do list, the profiling exercises to help the Western masses understand the nature of the wretched beast.

From The Daily Beast

Right-wing columnists call for Eric Holder to launch a full-scale federal investigation on racial profiling at the White House.

From The Daily Beast

Real-world profilers have to be careful, and are, not to indulge in facile ethnic, racial or religious “profiling.”

From The Daily Beast

As fears of the virus hitting Europe intensify, health officials warn that paranoia and racial profiling may grow, as well.

From The Daily Beast

We have been the target of widespread profiling and surveillance by the NYPD simply because of our faith.

From The Daily Beast