‘Shocking’ report reveals how ‘people’s private data is used to set the prices they pay’

Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan announced that the FTC has released the findings of a study on “how companies track consumer behaviors to inform price monitoring.”

“Last summer, the FTC launched an investigation into whether people’s private data is used to set the prices they pay and whether companies charge different people different prices for the same good or service,” said writes Khan via

Max Fisher, co-host of the Crooked Media podcasts “Offline” and “How We Got Here,” responded: “Jesus. The FTC discovers that companies are mining your data – browsing history, location, purchasing habits, even “mouse movements on a web page”. ” – to defraud you with higher prices aimed specifically at you.”

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The FTC report also notes:

The staff perspective revealed that some Tier 6(b) respondents may determine individualized and different prices and discounts based on granular consumer data, such as a cosmetics company targeting promotions on specific types and types. specific skin tones. The study also found that intermediaries examined by the FTC may offer more expensive products based on consumers’ search and purchase activity. As one hypothesis points out, a consumer presented as a new parent may intentionally see more expensive baby thermometers on the first page of their search results.

“It goes without saying that charging higher prices based on ‘skin tone’ is not what you want to do,” Rob Freund, a former George Washington law professor, wrote via X.

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