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Assembly approves AB 446 to ban 'surveillance pricing'; debate leaves open discount/loyalty exemptions
Summary
The Assembly approved AB 446 (Ward) 44-16, prohibiting businesses from using individual consumer data to charge different prices for the same goods or services. Lawmakers discussed amendments to preserve legitimate discount or loyalty programs while blocking algorithmic price discrimination based on sensitive profiles.
The California Assembly approved AB 446, the Surveillance Pricing Protection Act (introduced by Assemblymember Ward), on a floor vote of Ayes 44, Nos 16.
Ward told colleagues the bill would make it unlawful for businesses to use personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service, online or at checkout. He described “surveillance pricing” as a predatory practice that can hike prices for shoppers based on characteristics inferred from data — for example, ZIP code profiling, purchase history or device…
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