Sisters and Brothers,
We all know Big Tech is watching us 24/7. They’re collecting data on every aspect of our lives and selling it to the highest bidder.
But did you know Big Tech could also be the reason you pay more for groceries, plane tickets, and online purchases? These Big Tech companies are selling your data to other corporations (without your consent!) and those corporations are using your personal information to charge you as much as they possibly can, by trying to determine your exact price point. More profits for them and more financial strain for us!
What data do these mega-corporations use to determine what to charge you?How much you make, your internet search history, your gender, race, age, where you live, how many kids you have, and how far you are from home. They can even look at how low your phone’s battery is to gauge how desperate you are for a ride home.
Many, if not most, large corporations are starting to use this new predatorypricingscheme called “surveillancepricing.” Arecent investigationfound that grocery delivery website Instacart marked up grocery prices for some customers, resulting in some households paying an estimated additional $1,200 a year in grocery costs.The Washington Post owned by billionaire union-buster Jeff Bezos, has been hit with a class action lawsuitover allegations it is charging subscribers different prices based on reader data the Post collected.
The practice is not only an invasion of our privacy, it can also cost working class Californians thousands of dollars more every year.
Surveillancepricingis so widespread and predatory that states like Marylandand New Yorkrecently passed a law to protect state residents from the practice. The law bans corporations from using personal data to charge higher prices.
Now, it’s OUR turn.
California Federation of Labor Unions’ sponsored bill Assembly Bill 2564 (Ward) squeaked out of the State Assembly and is currently making its way through the State Senate. As you can imagine, the opposition by corporate America, Big Tech, and AI companies is immense. They don’t care about your privacy or your pocketbook, they are trying to protect their obscene profits.
AB 2564 bans the discriminatory practice ofsurveillancepricing, but specifically allows retailers to continue offering discounts like you may enjoy through your grocery apps.
AB 2564 will provide workers with much-needed relief, and ensure that corporations are held accountable for treating shoppers fairly when buying necessities like food, clothing and other basic goods.
Do you want California lawmakers to ban the predatory practice of surveillance pricing?
Join us in the fight against Big Tech and sign up HERE to get involved in the campaign!
In Solidarity,
Lorena Gonzalez