noun
information broker
A business or individual that searches for and provides information on behalf of clients, often in a professional or investigative capacity. Used in computing and business contexts.
情報検索代行業者に依頼して、競合他社の特許情報を調べてもらった。
We hired an information broker to look up patent information on our competitors.
情報屋 is a more casual, sometimes shady term for an information broker or informant, while 情報検索代行業者 is a formal, business-like term often used in legal or corporate contexts.
Compound of 情報 (information) + 検索 (search) + 代行 (agency, acting on behalf) + 業者 (business, trader). The term is a modern coinage reflecting the professionalization of information retrieval services.