NYC Council passes surveillance pricing ban in 44-5 vote

The New York City Council passed a bill Thursday, November 12, banning businesses from using algorithms and personal data to set individualized prices for the same goods or services. The measure passed 44-5 and gives the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection authority to investigate violations and impose civil penalties of up to $1,000 per offense. It does not take effect immediately: the ban is scheduled to begin one year after the bill becomes law.

The bill, sponsored by Council Speaker Julie Menin, targets what is commonly called surveillance pricing. The practice uses information such as a shopper’s browsing, demographic or purchasing history to determine the price that person sees. The measure also bars businesses from collecting, selling or sharing personal information to facilitate such pricing.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said he supports the bill. Its passage does not itself make it law; the effective date depends on enactment, and the supplied reporting does not establish a mayoral decision. If enacted, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection would oversee enforcement.

The final version allows specified discounts and promotions to continue, including...