Maryland Just Banned Surveillance Pricing on Groceries. Critics Say It’s Basically Toothless
Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act, banning grocery retailers and food delivery services from using personal data like race, income, or ZIP code to adjust prices. Critics, including the UFCW and Consumer Reports, argue the law is too narrow, covering only food retailers and lacking strong enforcement mechanisms. They warn that electronic shelf labels and dynamic pricing algorithms could still enable unfair pricing practices despite the new legislation.
- ▪The law bans food retailers from using personal data to adjust prices based on factors like race, income, or ZIP code.
- ▪Only the state Attorney General can enforce the law, raising concerns about limited oversight.
- ▪Electronic shelf labels allow instant, centralized price changes, fueling fears of 'surge pricing' on essential goods like food.
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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a new bill into law this week designed to protect people in the state from so-called surveillance pricing, a form of dynamic pricing that adjusts how much is charged to a given consumer based on factors such as race, income, and ZIP code, among others.cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({"playerId":"92b7b46b-43ed-4e0e-b21b-2c999302d9d7","settings":{"advertising":{"macros":{"AD_UNIT":"/23178111854/od.gizmodo.com/article","CHILD_UNIT":"article","POST_ID":"2000752290","POST_TYPE":"post","CHANNEL":"tech","SECTION":"artificial-intelligence","SUBSECTION":"","CATEGORIES":"artificial-intelligence","TAGS":"ai,artificial-intelligence,electronic-shelf-labels,surveillance-pricing","NOP":"0"},"timeBeforeFirstAd":0}}}).render("cnx-player-main")}); Maryland’s Protection From…
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