California Assembly Passes Bill to Ban ‘Surveillance Pricing’

The bill would prevent companies from charging different prices based on customer profiles. It would be the first in the nation if enacted.

Customers wait in line to check out at a Costco store in Novato, Calif., on Dec. 11, 2024. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A bill to prohibit “surveillance pricing,” used by some companies to charge consumers differently, passed the California Assembly on May 12.

Assembly Bill 446, authored by San Diego Democrat Assemblyman Christopher Ward, would become the first in the nation to ban companies from charging people different prices for the same product based on their personal data.