Our online data contain a great deal of information about our personal lives. Many online platforms are believed to be using this information to manipulate the prices we pay for the products and services we frequently use so that we end up paying more than others.
The Chinese government has said such activities must stop. With China's National Day Golden Week starting on October 1, the directive could not be more timely.
The pandemic is largely under control across the country, and millions of people will be capitalizing on the easing measures to get away for a few days.
Online bookings are the preferred choice, but it seems the more you use certain platforms, the more susceptible you are to higher prices.
The government has identified this problem and has issued temporary regulations. They stipulate that online travel agencies should obtain the consent of users before collecting their personal information.
"The new regulation could protect consumers' rights and interests by defining the responsibilities of the online travel agencies," said said Zhi Zhenfeng, a research fellow at the Institute of Law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "It will improve the environment of consumers to a certain extent."
However, the problem isn't exclusive to travel. It also happens when customers purchase goods online or even order food.
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