US FTC Demands Data From Major Corporations Regarding Personalized Pricing Practices
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued formal demands for information to Walmart, Uber, Delta Air Lines, and several other major corporations. The investigation seeks to determine how these companies utilize consumer data—including location, browsing history, and income levels—to implement personalized pricing for goods, services, wages, and job offers. The move comes amid rising concerns over algorithmic and AI-driven pricing technologies that may allow firms to extract maximum willingness-to-pay from individual consumers. While the FTC lacks the authority to issue a blanket ban on these practices, it intends to use the gathered data to publish a comprehensive study to inform future regulatory and legislative actions. This investigation follows increased scrutiny from state lawmakers and public calls for bans on individualized pricing. Industry groups like the National Retail Federation have defended such data-driven strategies as tools for incentivizing customer loyalty.