On Oct. 28, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission announced a broad Section 6(b) inquiry into the use of personal data and algorithmic decision-making to set consumer prices and gig-worker compensation. The FTC issued compulsory information requests to major airlines, ride-sharing platforms, food-delivery companies, and retailers.
According to the FTC, the inquiry will examine whether companies use consumers’ personal information, loyalty-program participation, browsing behavior, or other data inputs to determine individualized pricing. The agency also plans to investigate whether gig-economy platforms use workers’ personal data and behavioral metrics to influence compensation offers through algorithmic systems.