Should "surveillance pricing" be banned?

This NPR Planet Money Indicator podcast episode discusses the controversial practice of personalized or "surveillance" pricing, where online companies use consumer data (location, browsing history, etc.) to adjust prices individually. The episode explores the economic concept of price discrimination, contrasting it with the ethical concerns surrounding data-driven pricing. While acknowledging the difficulty in determining the prevalence of this practice due to data secrecy, the podcast cites examples and mentions investigations by the FTC and state-level legislative efforts to regulate or ban it. Expert opinions are presented, with some arguing for regulation due to consumer harm and others emphasizing the potential for both higher and lower prices depending on the algorithm, and highlighting the lack of consumer agency over their data. The podcast concludes with suggestions for consumers to minimize their exposure to personalized pricing.