Politics · United States · 44 mins ago
FTC seeks data on personalized pricing and gig worker pay
The FTC ordered nine major companies to share information about how they use personal data.
The companies include Delta, United, JetBlue, Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Target and Walmart.
The agency is examining whether personal data affects what customers pay for flights, rides, deliveries and other goods or services.
It is also investigating whether companies use workers’ data, such as phone use or past acceptance of offers, to set their pay or job offers.
The inquiry focuses on pricing and pay that may vary between people, including through loyalty programs or algorithms.
Delta, JetBlue and Instacart said they do not use personal data to set individual prices.
Companies must provide information or the FTC could seek to compel them in court, and the agency says it will use the findings to assess these practices.
The Federal Trade Commission has ordered nine companies to provide information about how they use personal data to set prices and gig-worker compensation.
The inquiry covers airlines, ride-hailing and delivery services, and retailers.
The FTC is examining whether prices or worker pay vary based on factors such as browsing history, loyalty-program participation, phone use or workers’ acceptance history.
Delta, JetBlue and Instacart said they do not use personal information to set individual prices.
The FTC said it could seek to compel companies to provide the information in federal court.
- Who
- The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and nine companies: Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, Target and Walmart.
- What
- The FTC ordered the companies to provide information about using personal data to set prices and worker compensation.
- When
- Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
- Where
- United States.
- Why
- The FTC says it wants to assess whether personal data and other factors influence prices and gig-worker pay.
Federal Trade Commission
Companies
Personalized pricing
Federal Trade Commission
The FTC is examining whether companies use personal data to charge different customers different prices.
Companies
Delta and JetBlue said they do not use personal data or browsing histories to set individual fares.
Worker compensation
Federal Trade Commission
The FTC is examining whether personal data affects gig workers’ compensation.
Companies
The sources do not report a specific company response addressing this inquiry into worker pay.
The FTC’s preliminary report found that some companies used third-party firms to individualize online prices based on factors including shoppers’ locations and browsing histories.
The FTC announced a proposed policy requiring businesses to disclose personalized pricing and the types of data used.
The FTC ordered nine companies to provide information about their pricing and compensation practices.
- Companies targeted
- 9
- Retailers
- Walmart and Target
- Airlines
- Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and JetBlue
- Ride-hailing and delivery services
- Lyft, Uber, DoorDash and Instacart
- Information requested
- Pricing methods, use of personal data and worker compensation practices
4 sources
FTC probes whether major US companies charge customers different prices using personal data
FTC orders Walmart and Delta to share how they use personal data
The FTC asks companies from Uber to Walmart about how they personalize the prices you pay
Konsum: US-Behörde will Auskunft über Preisgestaltung bei Uber und Walmart
What people are saying
Consumers deserve to know whether companies use their web surfing habits or other personal data to estimate the highest price they can charge each consumer
There is no fare product Delta has ever used, is testing or plans to use that targets customers with individualized offers based on personal data
We do not use personal information to set prices, and we never will