A class-action lawsuit was filed against the Washington Post on Thursday, alleging the paper engaged in ‘surveillance pricing’ by using personal data from subscribers to set unequal prices based on their browsing habits and profile information.

Details of the Lawsuit

According to the complaint, the Washington Post ‘covertly harvested’ personal data from subscribers without disclosing this practice until March 2026 under New York law. The lawsuit claims the paper has been taking part in surveillance pricing since at least late 2024.

Lawyers at the Clarkson Law Firm, who represent the people behind the case, stated that the Washington Post’s system converted subscribers’ engagement into leverage against them, resulting in longtime subscribers paying more than new customers simply because the company knew more about them.

‘The Washington Post has gone from an iconic institution of journalism to just another profit-obsessed technology company remade in the image of its tech bro billionaire owner and his move-fast-and-break-things mindset of value extraction,’ Clarkson Law Firm founder Ryan Clarkson said in a statement.

Condemnation of Surveillance Pricing

‘Consumers did not agree to be surveilled. They did not knowingly sign up to be charged a different amount from their neighbor to read the same newspaper. Discriminatory pricing systems have no place in a fair market, and they need to be dismantled,’ Clarkson added.

Other states are exploring legislation to limit companies’ abilities to shift prices based on a customer’s personal data. Currently, only Maryland and Connecticut have laws banning surveillance pricing.

The law firm is seeking punitive damages as well as statutory damages of at least $1,500 per person.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.