FTC Opens Comment Period on Personalized Pricing Enforcement Policy Statement
The Federal Trade Commission said it is taking public comment on an enforcement policy statement covering personalized pricing, defined as using a consumer's personal data to set a price based on what the company believes that shopper will pay [1]. Chairman Andrew Ferguson said consumers generally expect a listed price to be the same one others see, and noted the agency lacks legal authority to ban the practice outright, though businesses that do not disclose how personal data factors into pricing could face consequences [1]. Reporting on the proposal said the FTC believes it can set limits, including possible penalties for nondisclosure when data suggests a customer will accept a higher price [2]. Some critics quoted in that coverage argued the restrictions could reduce discounts or raise prices, a contention that is not resolved in the available material [2].
Sources
- ftc.gov · FTC Seeks Comment on Enforcement Policy Statement Regarding Personalized Pricing Aug 19, 2026
- arstechnica.com · Personalized pricing is “abhorrent,” but FTC limits may increase costs, critics say Aug 21, 2026
This is the neutral brief the press writes once, for everyone, before each reader’s paper adds its own so-what. It links out; it does not republish. 2 articles clustered.