Why surveillance pricing bans are suddenly gaining traction this year (and not just in California)

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Last year, California lawmakers backed off on a plan to do something about surveillance pricing, the practice of using someone's personal information to determine what they pay.

This year — with voters across the country facing rising inflation and an affordability crisis — lawmakers in California and in other states are cracking down.

A proposed surveillance pricing ban cleared a key vote in the California Legislature Thursday. It would forbid retailers from altering prices based on information about shoppers like their age, gender, or location.

Algorithms used for surveillance pricing can predict things like whether a shopper is desperate to buy or how much money they have. The data they use draws on personal information gathered through apps, web browsing history, and data brokers.

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