THE podcast episode "How to Fake a Data Trail (And Maybe Lower Prices)" discusses the concept of surveillance pricing, where companies use consumer data to alter pricing based on user attributes like device type or geographical location. Examples from 2012 show travel and retail companies charging different prices based on whether the user was on a Mac or lived in competitive zip codes.
The episode features an experiment by video journalist Chris Parr, who created a new consumer persona and tested how modifying data trails could affect pricing, including an inventive drone-based purchase. The discussion highlights the challenges in testing such pricing claims and invites listeners to explore the full conversation.