San Francisco: Don't Fall for Industry Defense of Surveillance Pricing
11 hours ago
- Surveillance pricing is a practice where corporations set different prices for the same product based on harvested personal data, invading privacy.
- EFF supports A.B. 2654, which bans surveillance pricing, and is disappointed that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors stalled a vote on a resolution supporting the bill after criticism from the Chamber of Commerce.
- The FTC found examples of companies charging higher prices based on personal information, such as new parents seeing higher-priced baby thermometers.
- EFF argues that privacy is a human right, not a commodity, and opposes surveillance pricing as another form of pay-for-privacy schemes.
- Surveillance pricing may lead to lower prices for some but often relies on false data and creates winners and losers; EFF opposes it regardless.
- A.B. 2654 clearly defines surveillance pricing and includes carveouts for loyalty programs, discounts based on cost, termination discounts, and uniformly available discounts.
- EFF compares surveillance pricing to online behavioral advertising and urges the Board of Supervisors to support the bill.