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Picture this:
- You type on Google "laptop won't turn on"
- Google now knows you have a broken laptop and can estimate how desperate you are to fix it.
- Because it knows how desperate you are, it can increase shop prices proportionally.
You are going to pay the maximum they get you to pay.
That's algorithmic pricing.
The more companies know about you, the more they can predict and sell how desperate you are to other stores out there.
An internet-connected car knows much more about you than you realize. A smart TV also knows what you like. Your Alexa knows if there is a problem in the home.
Privacy is much more than just sensitive data.
It's about not giving leverage away.
Because algorithms will use it against you.
Be safe out there.
The economics term for this is price discrimination. Nothing to do with racial discrimination, it's discriminating based on willingness to pay.
But usually it's not done by raising the prices above normal it's done by setting the regular prices higher and then offering a discount to people who aren't willing to pay less. People tend not to get upset when it's done that way. Student discount at the movie theater is a form of price discrimination. People accept it because they're being nice to people that don't have a lot of money. Seniors discount? Also being nice, I guess. But the reality is they know everyone else is willing to pay more so they charge more.
And this has already been happening online. About a decade ago I noticed what when I searched for flights from an airline then went to facebook, I'd get an ad from that airline offering a discount. Not as sophisticated as attempting to determining the exact price I was willing to pay, but it's along the same lines.
But the problems with these schemes is that people quickly figure out the system. I just made it a habit to search for a flight, then go onto facebook to look for the discount even when I'd be willing to pay even if there was no discount. But why not trick the system into thinking I didn't really care about booking the flight and get that discount?
Only tech savvy people figure out how to go around this system. Roughly 80% ~ 90% of consumers will not realize what's happening or won't bother figuring out a solution.
Hell, even if only 10% of the consumers paid a slightly higher price the company still earns more by buying your data.
Statistics are on the side of the company. Buying consumer data is always the best strategy for them. The only thing that can limit abuse of privacy and consumer rights is government regulation.