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2w ago

New York Legislature Passes One Fair Price Act to Ban Surveillance Pricing

If signed by the governor, the law would bar companies from using browsing history, location, device signals or other personal data to set individualized prices.

State Sen. Rachel May joined New York Attorney General Letitia James at a news conference on the state efforts to curtail surveillance pricing retail tactics in March at the Capitol. The bill passed the Legislature overnight Thursday. (Will Waldron/Times Union)
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Opponents of so-called surveillance pricing rallied in Albany in March.

Overview

  • The One Fair Price Act passed both chambers Thursday and would prohibit firms from using AI or algorithmic profiling of personal data to charge different prices to different people.
  • The state attorney general’s office will enforce the law and Attorney General Letitia James led public advocacy for the bill during the session.
  • Gov. Kathy Hochul must sign the measure for it to take effect and she has until later this year to decide whether to approve it.
  • Business and retail groups warned the final bill could end targeted coupons and some loyalty discounts, and the New York Bankers Association said removing a broad banking exemption could complicate credit checks and fraud protections.
  • A related bill to ban electronic shelf labels in pharmacies and grocery stores cleared the Senate but not the Assembly and New York’s move follows similar laws in Maryland and Connecticut while Colorado’s governor vetoed a comparable measure.