Mary in America

Mary in America

They're Spying on You to Charge You More

Oct 22, 2026 · 38 min · 10 segments

When we go to buy something – online, on our phones, in person, doesn't matter – there’s an entire invisible infrastructure behind whatever price we see. Companies have dedicated data scientists who…

When we go to buy something – online, on our phones, in person, doesn't matter – there’s an entire invisible infrastructure behind whatever price we see. Companies have dedicated data scientists who use our zip codes, computer type, browsing history, cursor movements, SO much information, to determine how much they can charge us, how much we are willing to pay. On the consumer side, basically nobody likes it. So how did it get to this, and what can we do about it? In part it’s because our technological capabilities have advanced at a faster rate than our social structures, rules and laws. **Stephanie Nguyen** was Chief Technologist at the Federal Trade Commission from 2021 to 2025, where she worked on cases against companies who were surveillance-pricing us unfairly. She unpacks how companies are spying on us, when that crosses a line, and what changes we’re starting to see as consumers fight back. **Further Reading:** Surveillance Prices. Hidden Fees. Shifting Costs. This Madness Must Stop. - The New York Times "The Loyalty Trap: How Loyalty Programs Hook Us with Deals, Hack our Brains, and Hike Our Prices" by Samuel A.A. Levine and Stephanie T. Nguyen “The Degradation of Prices: Platform Power, the Erosion of Price Comparison, and Rebuilding Comparison Shopping in the Digital Economy” by Stephanie T. Nguyen & Shaoul Sussman FTC’s complaint in its case against Amazon Maybe There Was an Egg Cartel After All - Politico (on price collusion) Subscribe to the show! [YouTube](youtube.com/@maryinamerica) [Instagram](instagram.com/maryinamerica) [TikTok](tiktok.com/@maryinamerica) [Website](maryinamerica.com)

When we go to buy something – online, on our phones, in person, doesn't matter – there’s an entire invisible infrastructure behind whatever price we see. Companies have dedicated data scientists who…

What Is Surveillance Pricing?1:10 – 8:08

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:10

Yeah.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:10

And maybe even before defining this specific term, I will say there are a number of like different weird pricing abuses that exist in the world.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:20

Right.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:20

Think drip pricing, price gouging,

Mary ChildsHost

1:24

price discrimination.

Mary ChildsHost

1:25

Eggs.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:25

Yes.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:26

There's so many different ways to rip people off through prices.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:30

Price collusion.

Mary ChildsHost

1:32

We have so many options available to us

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:33

now.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:34

But surveillance pricing is just a slice of this very large ecosystem of ways that people can get screwed over.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:43

Surveillance pricing is when companies use a trove of data about people to be able to set individualized prices that are different for you, Mary, than would be different for me.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:53

And so companies are using a bunch of different factors and profiles and inferences about you to set and hike prices so that you pay more or pay what they assume to be, you know, your willingness to pay for a product.

Mary ChildsHost

2:05

How do I know as a consumer if there's surveillance pricing me? You wouldn't.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:09

It's opaque and it's widespread.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:12

And I think that's what makes surveillance pricing just so dangerous in that we never see it.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:18

But, you know, people are seeing it in their lives and are publishing it on Reddit threads, on forums, on, you know, X.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:26

Like they're saying, why is it that when I look for flights one day and the next day it rises $200 for the same flight or even within a few hours, not even a different day?

Mary ChildsHost

2:38

I want to go back.

Mary ChildsHost

2:39

Tell me how we got here with surveillance pricing.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:42

Yeah, this has been a long time coming.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:45

Even when I was little, and I'm sure you and others, you remember the Sunday circular.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:51

You remember getting a newspaper delivered to you or seeing it and seeing a little booklet of coupons.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:57

Coupons.

What Is Surveillance Pricing?1:10 – 8:08

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:10

Yeah.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:10

And maybe even before defining this specific term, I will say there are a number of like different weird pricing abuses that exist in the world.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:20

Right.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:20

Think drip pricing, price gouging,

Mary ChildsHost

1:24

price discrimination.

Mary ChildsHost

1:25

Eggs.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:25

Yes.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:26

There's so many different ways to rip people off through prices.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:30

Price collusion.

Mary ChildsHost

1:32

We have so many options available to us

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:33

now.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:34

But surveillance pricing is just a slice of this very large ecosystem of ways that people can get screwed over.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:43

Surveillance pricing is when companies use a trove of data about people to be able to set individualized prices that are different for you, Mary, than would be different for me.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

1:53

And so companies are using a bunch of different factors and profiles and inferences about you to set and hike prices so that you pay more or pay what they assume to be, you know, your willingness to pay for a product.

Mary ChildsHost

2:05

How do I know as a consumer if there's surveillance pricing me? You wouldn't.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:09

It's opaque and it's widespread.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:12

And I think that's what makes surveillance pricing just so dangerous in that we never see it.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:18

But, you know, people are seeing it in their lives and are publishing it on Reddit threads, on forums, on, you know, X.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:26

Like they're saying, why is it that when I look for flights one day and the next day it rises $200 for the same flight or even within a few hours, not even a different day?

Mary ChildsHost

2:38

I want to go back.

Mary ChildsHost

2:39

Tell me how we got here with surveillance pricing.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:42

Yeah, this has been a long time coming.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:45

Even when I was little, and I'm sure you and others, you remember the Sunday circular.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:51

You remember getting a newspaper delivered to you or seeing it and seeing a little booklet of coupons.

Stephanie NguyenGuest

2:57

Coupons.