Credit ratings are used to assess an individual's ability to repay debt based on their borrowing and repayment history. Credit rating agencies like Baycorp and Veda Advantage maintain databases of individuals' credit information and use this data to formulate credit scores. Those managing these databases have legal obligations to ensure the information is accurate, up-to-date, securely stored, and only accessed with proper consent. They must also maintain individuals' privacy and confidentiality of personal details in the databases.