The US Federal Trade Commission has opened a compulsory study into how large platforms and retailers use personal information to set consumer prices and determine the pay offered to gig workers.
The Commission issued orders under section 6(b) of the FTC Act to Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, Target and Walmart. The orders seek information about the data, algorithms and business practices used to tailor prices or compensation to individual users.
Section 6(b) gives the agency investigatory authority to require reports and answers for market studies. It can seek federal-court enforcement if a recipient does not comply. The companies have 45 days to respond.
The inquiry does not itself allege that any recipient violated the law, and the Commission said it has no specific law-enforcement purpose. Its stated aim is to understand whether individualized pricing or pay creates benefits, risks or unfairness for consumers and workers. The Commission approved the orders by a 2–0 vote.
The FTC announced the inquiry on 28 October 2026. The official notice identifies all nine recipients and the scope of the requested information.
