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Privacy Incursions to Support Price Discrimination

Posted by michael on from the know-your-customer dept.

An anonymous reader writes "BusinessWeek has an interesting interview with academic Andrew Odlyzko about how increased corporate spying will inevitably lead to targeted pricing and how this system can be abused." The paper (pdf) makes interesting reading. Very good insights into the reasons why businesses want to get to know you.

6 of 402 comments (clear)

  1. Ad fun by mao+che+minh · · Score: 5, Funny
    It won't be long until browsing the web is like walking through the city in "Minority Report".

    You stop by CNN.com, and a pop-up flashes on screen: "Hello, Mr Thompson, you look like you could use a bigger penis!"

  2. So... does this mean by tinrobot · · Score: 4, Funny

    That Bill Gates will get charged $1000 for a pack of gum?

    If so, I'm all for it.

  3. Software Piracy by Scalli0n · · Score: 5, Funny

    So does this mean that all those people claiming that the software they steal isn't a loss because they wouldn't buy it anyway will get to buy it for $0.01? I mean, that's accurately priced for them...

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  4. Re:Examples of Price Discrimination by Abm0raz · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just do what I do ... when they tell me 'Sir, you would have saved $15 on this purchase if you had used your discount card. Would you like me to give you one now that I'll use for this purchase.' I say 'sure.' They give you a temporary one that you then you are supposed to go over to the customer service desk to fill out the forms. I let her swipe it, then throw it in the trash below the register. Never use the same card twice ... and don't forget your tinfoil hat ... otherwise they'll scan your brain and know what you bought last time and put it all together.

    -Ab.

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  5. Karma by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 4, Funny
    Now, corporations can get together to create a national database on all consumers. With that information, they can compute a "sucker" karma score for each person. If you have a history of making impulse buys, buying extended warranties, getting stain guard protection on your furniture purchases, frequenting shops in touristy areas, getting dealer-applied pinstriping on your cars, etc., you will have an "excellent" sucker karma.

    Your sucker rating will haunt you like your credit rating. Now is the time to start being shrewd, before you build up a reputation a big fat sucker.

  6. Re:Examples of Price Discrimination by H0NGK0NGPH00EY · · Score: 3, Funny

    Or, you can go with this guy's formula. Heh.

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