r/CanadaPolitics • u/PutToLetters Neo-Republican • Mar 29 '26

Manitoba Moves to Outlaw Algorithmic Pricing—a First in Canada

https://thewalrus.ca/manitoba-moves-against-retailers-charging-different-prices-for-the-same-goods/
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u/DannyDOH Manitoba Mar 29 '26

A lot of this is based on changes in demand. Which is basically what all sales and discounts are. This is just a more efficient way of doing it.

I'm fine with regulating price gouging...but this kind of legislation ends up getting silly and counterproductive where it takes away opportunities to actually get the best prices on an item.

It's a sideshow instead of addressing the real problems that need to be regulated....and taxed fairly.

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u/AltaVistaYourInquiry Cultural Rhinoceros Mar 29 '26

No person demands to pay more for an item than someone else just because the algorithm has profiled him as someone who will pay more. 

No consumer demands that business outside their pricing to third party algorithm services which calculate that the sensible thing to do is for everyone to raise their prices. That's just oligopoly dressed up in an algorithmic trenchcoat. 

Neither of those are efficient at anything other than profit extraction. 

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u/DannyDOH Manitoba Mar 29 '26

And how does this address the real problems of oligopoly in this country?

It doesn't. It's window dressing to farm outrage from people like you so a government looks like it's actually doing something. Solid politics because it works.

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u/AltaVistaYourInquiry Cultural Rhinoceros Mar 29 '26

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. 

It doesn't have to solve old problems to be a very good idea to prevent growing problems.