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 estimates that person will pay [1]. Chairman Andrew Ferguson said shoppers generally expect a listed price to be the same for everyone, and noted the agency lacks legal authority to ban the practice outright, though businesses that do not disclose how personal data shapes a price could face scrutiny [1]. The agency believes it can still impose limits, including possible penalties for failure to disclose when data-driven pricing results in a higher charge [2]. Some critics reportedly argue that restricting the practice could eliminate discounts or push prices up [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.