In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and big data analysis technologies, the platform economy has become a key engine driving the high-quality development of China's digital economy. From shopping and travel to tourism, takeout, and accommodation, various platforms have greatly improved transaction efficiency and optimized the consumer experience by precisely matching supply and demand.

However, behind this seemingly convenient and efficient service, a problem that cannot be ignored is gradually surfacing—big data price discrimination. This phenomenon has not only triggered widespread skepticism among consumers but also poses a challenge to the integrity image of platform enterprises and market order.

The so-called "big data price discrimination" refers to the practice of platform enterprises using user profiles (such as historical consumption records, device types, browsing frequency, etc.) to implement personalized pricing, offering different pricing strategies for the same product or service to different users. This behavior is essentially a form of "price discrimination," and the core issue is whether it violates the principle of fair trade and harms consumer rights.

I. The Technical Logic and Business Model of Big Data Price Discrimination

"Big data price discrimination" is not a new phenomenon; it is actually an extension of the "price discrimination" strategy in the digital age. In traditional retail, merchants flexibly adjust prices based on factors such as customer identity, purchasing habits, and bargaining power, while on digital platforms, this practice is amplified and automated by algorithms.

1. Data Collection and User Profiling

Platforms collect data such as user registration information, login frequency, browsing paths, click preferences, and payment records to build detailed user profiles. After being trained by machine learning models, this data can predict users' price sensitivity, loyalty, and the maximum amount they are willing to pay for a service.

2. Algorithm-Driven Dynamic Pricing

With real-time data analysis, platforms can set multiple price versions for the same product. For example, for the same flight ticket, new users may see a lower price, while old users might see a higher price; for the same hotel room, users with high-end phones see a higher price than those with low-end phones.

3. Business Motivation and Profit Maximization

For platforms, the core driving force behind big data price discrimination is profit maximization. By identifying high-value users and charging them higher prices, they can increase unit revenue without raising costs. This practice is particularly common in e-commerce promotions, ride-hailing apps, and online travel.

II. Social Controversies and Public Sentiment Regarding Big Data Price Discrimination

Although platform enterprises often explain it as "personalized service" or "dynamic pricing," the public often perceives this behavior as clearly unfair. Especially when consumers find that they, as "loyal customers," have to pay higher prices, it easily leads to a sense of betrayal.

1. Consumer Rights Damage

The most direct impact of big data price discrimination is the harm to consumer interests. What was originally thought to be "the more you buy, the more discounts you get" turns out to be "the more familiar, the more expensive." This counterintuitive phenomenon breaks the traditional business practice of "priority for old customers," leading to a decline in user trust in the platform.

2. Market Fairness in Question

From the perspective of market competition, if a few leading platforms control a large amount of user data and use it to implement differentiated pricing, it will exacerbate market monopoly tendencies, making it difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises to compete effectively. Once this data barrier solidifies, it may hinder the innovative vitality of the entire industry.

3. Ongoing Public Opinion Fermentation

In recent years, news about "big data price discrimination" has frequently appeared in reports. Some consumers have tested and found that the price for the same room type varies by dozens or even hundreds of yuan under different accounts; some netizens have also shared different ride-hailing costs seen on their accounts compared to their friends' accounts. After these cases spread on social media, they quickly resonated with the public, prompting regulatory authorities to intervene and investigate.

III. Legal Regulations and Current Supervision

In response to the increasingly prominent issue of big data price discrimination, China has successively introduced several laws and regulations to regulate it, striving to balance the protection of consumer rights and the encouragement of platform economic development.

1. The Personal Information Protection Law Explicitly Prohibits "Differential Treatment"

Article 24 of this law states: "Personal information processors shall not make decisions that significantly affect personal rights and interests solely based on automated decision-making." This means that platforms cannot unilaterally make choices unfavorable to users based on algorithms, including price discrimination behaviors.

2. The E-commerce Law Emphasizes the Obligation of "Information Disclosure"

According to this law, platform operators should prominently inform consumers of content that has significant interests, including pricing change rules and membership rights explanations. If a platform fails to fulfill its disclosure obligations and unilaterally adjusts prices, it may infringe on consumers' right to know and choose.

3. The Anti-Monopoly Law Restrains Abuse of Market Dominance

Although there are currently no clear judicial cases identifying big data price discrimination as monopolistic behavior, if a platform uses its market dominance to implement differential pricing for a long time without justifiable reasons, it may violate the provisions of the Anti-Monopoly Law regarding "abuse of dominant position."

4. Regulatory Authorities Strengthen Law Enforcement

The State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other departments have repeatedly conducted special rectification actions regarding platform price transparency issues. For example, in 2021, the Zhejiang Provincial Consumer Protection Committee interviewed seven major platforms, requiring them to self-examine and rectify any instances of "big data price discrimination." Some platforms subsequently stated that they would cancel related functions or provide price comparison options.

IV. Responsibilities and Response Strategies of Platform Enterprises

As an important hub connecting supply and demand, platform enterprises should not only enjoy the benefits of technology but also bear corresponding social responsibilities. In the face of public skepticism and regulatory pressure, platforms need to start from three levels: institutional design, technological improvement, and corporate culture, to rebuild user trust.

1. Improve Internal Governance Mechanisms

• Establish a price transparency mechanism to ensure that all users enjoy the same price under the same conditions at the same time;
• Set up a dedicated compliance review process to regularly evaluate algorithm models involved in price setting;
• Introduce third-party auditing agencies to conduct independent reviews of the platform's pricing system, enhancing credibility.

2. Optimize User Experience with Technological Means

Develop a "price tracking" feature that allows users to view historical price change trends;

• Provide a "new and old user price comparison" option, allowing users to choose whether to accept personalized recommendations;
• For situations with price differences, the platform should proactively explain the reasons to avoid misunderstandings.

3. Promote Corporate Integrity Culture

• Reinforce the "user first" concept in corporate values, eliminating short-term profit-seeking mindsets;
• Incorporate user satisfaction into employee assessment indicators, guiding frontline personnel to value user experience;
• Proactively disclose platform operation data, accept social supervision, and enhance brand transparency.

V. How Can Consumers Rationally Respond to Big Data Price Discrimination?

In the current context where regulation is still being improved and technology is evolving, consumers should also enhance their self-protection awareness and learn to use legal means to safeguard their rights.

1. Learn to Identify Price Discrimination Signals

• The same product shows different prices on different accounts or devices;
• Old users pay more even after using more coupons or points than new users;
• After using incognito mode or changing the network environment, there is a significant price change.

2. Use Technological Tools to Assist Judgment

• Download price monitoring plugins or comparison apps to record historical price trends of products;
• Register multiple accounts for horizontal testing to observe if there are price differences;
• Clear cache and cookies to reduce the platform's reliance on personal preferences.

3. Actively Protect Rights and Provide Feedback

If encountering suspected price discrimination, retain screenshot evidence and promptly report it to the platform's customer service;

• If the platform does not respond, complaints can be made to consumer associations or market regulatory authorities;
• Raise awareness through social media to attract public attention and push the platform to improve policies.

VI. Future Outlook: Finding Balance Between Technological Innovation and Ethical Bottom Line

The emergence of big data price discrimination is both a byproduct of the rapid development of the platform economy and a new test for business ethics in the digital age. We must affirm the efficiency gains brought by technological progress while being vigilant about the potential moral decline it may cause.

In the future, exploration should be strengthened in the following directions:

1. Promote Further Refinement of Legislation

Although there is a relevant legal framework in China, the specific applicable standards for big data price discrimination are still not clear enough. It is recommended to issue specialized implementation rules to clarify what situations constitute violations and what behaviors can be exempted, providing operational guidance for enterprises.

2. Strengthen Industry Self-Regulation

Industry associations should establish unified codes of conduct, advocating for platform enterprises to jointly resist big data price discrimination behaviors. At the same time, a blacklist system should be established to publicly expose and jointly punish enterprises that repeatedly violate regulations.

3. Build a Multi-Party Co-Governance Mechanism

Government, enterprises, consumers, media, and other diverse entities should participate in governance together. The government should strengthen regulation, enterprises should fulfill their responsibilities, consumers should raise awareness, and media should play a supervisory role, forming a joint effort to promote healthy market development.

4. Develop "Responsible Artificial Intelligence"

Encourage research institutions and enterprises to develop fairer, more transparent, and controllable algorithm models, promoting AI technology to develop in a "human-centered" direction, better serving the public interest rather than becoming a tool for capital manipulation.

Conclusion: Making Technology Warmer and Business More Ethical

The essence of the platform economy is to optimize resource allocation and improve service quality through technological means. However, the spread of big data price discrimination is shaking this foundation. Technology itself is neither good nor evil; the key lies in how humanity uses it.

While pursuing commercial interests, platform enterprises must uphold the bottom line of integrity in business and respect the legitimate rights and interests of every user. Regulatory authorities should also continuously improve the institutional system to create a fair and orderly market environment. As consumers, we should also be vigilant, consume rationally, and be brave in protecting our rights.

Only through the joint efforts of all parties can the platform economy move more steadily and further, truly achieving the development goal of "technology for good, business with integrity."