What: A long and detailed piece from The Atlantic about the questions raided by the degree of data gathered by retailers.

Why it is important: It is important to undertand the general public’s reservations in order to adress them, or to change what is being done.

A Minneapolis teen received Target coupons for baby products before she had even told her father she was pregnant. This alarming accuracy was due to Target's refined marketing algorithms. While it felt like a prediction, Target simply utilized extensive consumer data to offer personalized ads. Retailers collect vast amounts of customer data from online browsing, physical store visits, and smartphone apps. This data helps tailor marketing messages to individuals, potentially altering their buying habits. While this might seem beneficial, it gives companies power to subtly manipulate consumers' desires. Historical buying practices were more egalitarian, with fixed pricing regardless of the buyer's identity. However, with the introduction of barcodes and the internet, personalized pricing and offers based on data became the norm. Modern retailing merges offline and online data, intertwining with tech giants like Google and Facebook. While some view this as empowering, others see it as a breach of privacy that skews democratic ideals. Whether perceived as a violation or a convenience, surrendering personal data seems to be the contemporary price of shopping.

Worries about the customer data gathered by retailers are growing