U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released the following statement yesterday after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued orders to eight companies requesting information about their products and services that use personal data to set individual prices for consumers. The orders seek information about the potential impact these practices have on privacy and consumer protection:

“I’m glad the FTC is taking a close look at surveillance pricing. There is no place in the world for AI price setting—where companies use consumers’ personal data to jack up prices. This is another reason why we need a strong, comprehensive privacy law to protect consumers’ data,” said Sen. Cantwell.

Sen. Cantwell recently held a Commerce Committee hearing this month that showed how AI is accelerating the urgency to pass a federal privacy law, and the senator highlighted this concerning trend of individualized pricing during her remarks.

In April, Sen. Cantwell unveiled the discussion draft of the American Privacy Rights Act with House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The comprehensive draft legislation sets clear, national data privacy rights and protections for Americans, eliminates the existing patchwork of state comprehensive data privacy laws and establishes robust enforcement mechanisms to hold violators accountable, including a private right of action for individuals.