Surveillance Pricing: Exploiting Information Asymmetries

Discussion (18 Comments)Read Original on HackerNews

teeray•about 1 hour ago

It would be abhorrent to let humans change the prices of goods and services based on the color of your skin, age, gender, religion, etc. However, if a computer does it, that’s apparently just fine.

2009mobile•about 2 hours ago

The article describes Uber's surge pricing as a form of surveillance pricing, but this is misleading. The primary purpose of surge pricing isn't to maximize profit, it's to increase supply. Dynamic pricing in a 2-sided network is different than in retailing.

throwaway85825•19 minutes ago

The solution to such information asymmetry is to mandate disclosure of all algorithms and data used in setting the price.

Refreeze5224•3 minutes ago

That won't work. The issue is a fundamental power imbalance being exploited by the seller. An individual will never have the time, money, or energy to be on an equal footing with companies that do this. So giving people a bunch of algorithms and data does nothing. It's just like giving people EULAs and pretending that because they have the stated terms, it somehow makes them an equal party. The solution is to ban situations where these power imbalances exist. Too bad capitalism is inherently based on them....

NDlurker•about 2 hours ago

This is really making me consider going back to all cash and local purchases. Maybe prepaid debit cards and a PO box for when I need to order something online.

neeeeeeal•about 2 hours ago

Based on the title, I assumed this would be about how the consumer could grasp and then counter-utilize the pricing differences these algorithms produce.

For example, understanding that you are being “targeted” by these algorithm for premium extraction and taking measures such as spinning up VPNs, clearing cache/history, etc to save the consumer from overpaying.

Seems like a good market for such a product would exist…

bestouff•about 2 hours ago

This can't happen in EU. Thanks again.

inetknght•about 2 hours ago

"Can't"?

abrownbear•22 minutes ago

Dope piece.

Surveillance Pricing: Exploiting Information Asymmetries

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Discussion (18 Comments)Read Original on HackerNews