Maryland Set To Ban Surveillance Pricing

Maryland's legislature has passed The Protection From Predatory Pricing Act, which is now awaiting Governor Wes Moore's signature. The governor is likely to sign the act, as they encouraged lawmakers to tackle the issue and spoke in support of reigning in the practice earlier this year.

Surveillance pricing is the act of using a person's personal data - the same kind gathered for targeted advertising - to "personalize" pricing online. This could result in paying higher prices because the company knows that you can afford it or have no choice.

Consumer Reports has warned that the current form of the bill still contains serious loopholes that should be closed, such as exempting loyalty programs or subscription-based services.