FTC orders 8 companies to provide information on ‘surveillance pricing’ practices
By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS, AP Business Writer
Published: July 24, 2024, 7:50am
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FILE - The Federal Trade Commission building is seen, Jan. 28, 2015, in Washington. The Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, that it’s ordering eight companies that offer “surveillance pricing” to turn in information about their practices, as the agency investigates potential impacts on privacy and consumer protection. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission has ordered information from eight companies that the agency says offer products and services that use personal data to set prices based on a shopper’s individual characteristics.
In a Tuesday announcement, the FTC said it was seeking to better understand the “opaque market” of “surveillance pricing” practices using consumer data — including credit information, location and browsing history — to charge different customers different prices for the same goods.
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