On October 28, 2026, Reuters reported that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had sought information from nine companies about whether and how they use consumers’ personal data to set individual prices, worker pay and job offers. The FTC’s stated aim is a study to inform regulators and lawmakers.
What the FTC wants to examine
The reported requests cover the tools, strategies and data used to set prices, wages and job offers, as well as the effects of those practices. Location, browsing history and income are cited examples of personal data. TipRanks quoted the FTC as identifying loyalty-program participation and analysis of personal data, including by what it called “superintelligence algorithms,” as factors the study would examine.
Personalized pricing means setting a price for an individual based partly on personal data. The requests concern whether and how companies use such data; they are not a finding that a named company broke the law or a ban on personalized pricing.
The companies named and their responses
The nine companies named in the reports are Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Delta, United, JetBlue, Target and Walmart. The list spans ride-hailing, food delivery, airlines and retail; the reported request does not establish that every company uses the same practices.
TipRanks reported that the companies had 45 days to respond and that the FTC could seek court action to compel compliance. JetBlue said it does not use personal information or browsing history to set individual prices, and that fares depend on demand and seat availability. A Delta representative said the company opposes discriminatory or predatory pricing and complies with applicable privacy, pricing and advertising laws.
How the inquiry differs from other FTC actions
The October information requests are distinct from an earlier FTC study and a separate proposed policy statement. The dates and purposes help distinguish the three actions:
| Date | FTC action |
| July 2024 | The FTC issued 6(b) study orders to intermediary companies about technologies that use personal data to set individualized prices. |
| August 19, 2026 | The FTC announced a proposed enforcement policy statement on personalized pricing. An August analysis by Crowell & Moring described the proposal as nonbinding, creating no new legal obligations, and addressing possible enforcement under existing Section 5 authority. |
| October 28, 2026 | Reuters reported the FTC’s requests for information from nine companies to support a study of personal-data use in prices, worker pay and job offers. |
