There's a Sneaky Way Companies Use Your Private Data to Charge You More

What's the big deal about data privacy if you have nothing to hide? Well, according to the Federal Trade Commission, even the most benign data is now being used to directly raise prices on what you (personally and specifically) buy. 

The FTC is now investigating eight major companies for their use of "surveillance pricing." These companies advertise using artificial intelligence to specifically price-target individual consumers — and the worst part is you won't ever know since it's done behind the scenes through a shadow ecosystem with no transparency for the people in the crosshairs. 

Everything from private finances to web browser history is up for grabs in the race to set individualized prices for identical goods and services, and it's already being used against Americans. Saving up to retire early? 

The data might show you can afford to spend more. Trying to get out of a cycle of living paycheck to paycheck? Good luck doing do, when the data shows companies exactly how much they can charge to keep you in poverty. 

That's only the tip of the iceberg of how these practices harm shoppers. The FTC hopes to discover the full set of consequences by investigating the biggest companies pushing the surveillance pricing agenda. Find out which companies are doing this and what you can do to fight it.

Using AI to rapidly change pricing based on who is buying allows companies to charge different customers different prices — but what are the criteria for who gets charged more or who gets a great deal? A capitalistic business might use this data to charge every person the exact maximum they can afford to pay, which destroys the concept of a free market regulating prices. Worse yet, the data could be used to discriminate along biases such as racial discrimination, disabilities, medical conditions, or any number of wildly unethical standards. 

To protect Americans, the FTC has ordered eight companies to turn over all their information regarding: 

• Types of surveillance pricing products and services being offered
  
• Data sources and collection methods
  
• Customer sales and product usage
  
• Impact on consumer pricing
  

The FTC sent orders to the following companies:

• Mastercard 
  
• Revionics 
  
• Bloomreach 
  
• JPMorgan Chase 
  
• Task Software 
  
• PROS 
  
• Accenture 
  
• McKinsey & Co.
  

Some of those names are recognizable with direct-to-consumer products; however, companies like Task Software include McDonald's and Starbucks as clients — places we've all spent money. 

Revionics is another company obfuscating more recognizable names, with clients such as Home Depot and Tractor Supply. Bloomreach provides services for Total Wine, FreshDirect, and Puma. PROS takes care of Microsoft so well that they were named vendor of the year. 

There is little consumers can do as individuals, so the FTC must intervene. Shoppers can, of course, try to avoid the companies involved and shop elsewhere — but that's tricky when the companies are so large and pervasive. 

Consumers can also directly report businesses to the FTC. The official government website has online forms that are quick and easy to fill out and submit. Many people have had the experience of seeing a company do something wrong but feeling helpless because of its massive size, and this is exactly why there is a Federal Trade Commission.

Cold, hard cash is still king. You can't trace and track individuals who pay in cash, at least not unless you convince them to sign up for rewards programs or otherwise engage in a digital aspect. 

Reverting back to using physical currency whenever possible will help limit the data companies have about your spending, but it will also help everybody else by limiting the overall data pool these companies are compiling. 

The FTC voted unanimously to issue orders to eight companies to provide detailed information about how they are using surveillance pricing so it can be determined how they are impacting privacy, competition, and consumer protection. Their findings will determine potential next steps, potentially including legal action if unlawful activities have been taking place. 

Surveillance pricing is dangerous to every consumer and shifts the economic balance against individuals in a way that is absolutely terrifying when considered in full scope. 

What happens to those already barely scraping by financially? What happens to those who have worked hard to save their whole lives? Should those things be decided by for-profit companies? Let's hope the FTC sorts it out quickly.