FTC orders nine firms including Delta, Uber and Walmart to explain personal-data pricing

The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday ordered nine major companies to turn over detailed information on how they use personal data to set prices or pay workers. The companies are Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, Target and Walmart. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said the agency will scrutinize the opaque methods some firms may use to set consumer prices or gig worker pay for the same product or service. The inquiry follows investigations and lawsuits alleging that consumers are charged different prices based on their buying histories and drivers are paid different fares based on personal histories. Because the FTC's authority excludes airlines and banking, it cannot impose fines or regulations on the named airlines, and the agency is separately studying ride-sharing and delivery companies.

Fox Business, the right-leaning source, frames the story as an inquiry, with a headline asking whether firms charge customers different prices using personal data. It lists airlines, ride-hailing, delivery and retail firms as the subjects and features Ferguson's pledge to scrutinize opaque methods. It links to a related FTC and 20-state lawsuit against Dollar General over alleged overcharging. Left-leaning CBS News and The Guardian put more weight on consumer harm. CBS frames the orders around companies charging customers more or paying workers less. The Guardian stresses inflation-strained household budgets, deceptive store pricing and the Trump administration's rollback of corporate rules, and it notes the FTC cannot fine the named airlines, a limit Fox's excerpt does not mention. Alternative AP reports the order in neutral wire language and adds the separate ride-sharing study. All sides agree on the nine companies and the demand for information.