House Democrat Says Surveillance Pricing on Congress’ Radar
Congress must address the growing issue of companies using algorithms to adjust prices of consumer goods based on personal data, Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, said Wednesday during an American Economic Liberties Project event.
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Casar credited states like Colorado for pursuing legislation that would ban the practice at the state level. There are two active bills in California, while legislation in Georgia and Illinois has stalled. New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) is holding off enforcing her state's law for the moment (see 2507150052).
Casar said it’s a “deeply troubling” practice impacting everyone from consumers and rideshare drivers to airline passengers. The lawmaker added that he’s working with House colleagues to find “congressional solutions at the federal level.”
California Assemblymember Chris Ward (D) spoke in support of his AB-446, a bill that could soon hit the Assembly floor after approval from the chamber’s Judiciary Committee on an 8-3 vote Tuesday (see 2507160053). California isn’t trying to “undercut dynamic pricing,” he said. He noted AB-446 applies only when a company is customizing a price for an individual or groups of consumers, and it’s based on personal information collected through electronic surveillance technology.