#303 You’re Charging Me How Much? A Discussion of Personalized and Surveillance Pricing
Release Date: 12/09/2024
Our Curious Amalgam
The FTC’s new “Click-to-Cancel” rule is reshaping consumer protection and compliance in the subscription economy. But what challenges and opportunities does this regulation present for businesses? Panos Dimitrellos and Jaclyn Phillips explore these issues with guest Christi Lawson, partner at Foley & Lardner, discussing the rule’s legal, economic, and behavioral implications, as well as potential penalties for non-compliance. Listen to this episode to learn more about how this pivotal rule impacts businesses, consumers, and the broader regulatory landscape. With special guest:...
info_outline #308 What Makes a Compliance Program Effective? The DOJ’s Updated Corporate Antitrust Compliance Program GuidanceOur Curious Amalgam
The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division recently updated its guidance regarding the division’s “Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs in Criminal Antitrust Investigations.” What are the key changes? In this episode, Alicia Downey and Anora Wang talk to Emma Burnham, Antitrust Division Director of Criminal Enforcement, about how prosecutors assess the effectiveness of corporate antitrust compliance programs against the backdrop of the increasing utilization of artificial intelligence and ephemeral messaging technology. Private practitioner Tee St. Matthew-Daniel of Paul...
info_outline #307 Will the Past Be the Future? Looking Back at 2024 and Forward to 2025Our Curious Amalgam
Happy New Year to OCA listeners everywhere! Antitrust was a hot topic in 2024, and it's poised to get even hotter in 2025. In Our Curious Amalgam's year-end special episode, six of our regular hosts offer their perspectives on 2024's notable developments and trends in criminal antitrust enforcement, monopolization and merger challenges, international competition law, consumer protection, and data privacy. Listen to practitioners' insights regarding the emerging topics and themes of the coming year that will no doubt be featured in future OCA episodes. With special guests: Brendan Coffman,...
info_outline #306 How Do I Make a Competition Law Complaint in India? A Practical Discussion About Approaching the CCIOur Curious Amalgam
India is now one of the most important competition law jurisdictions in the world. With direct court action against anti-competitive practices not an option, how can a third party seek to persuade the Competition Commission of India to become involved? Abir Roy, partner and co-founder of Sarvada Legal, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall to discuss the underlying rules and practical issues involved in bringing an information (complaint) before the CCI. Listen to this episode to learn more about precedent cases, the evidence required, the various stages of an investigation, timeframes,...
info_outline #305 Is It Fair? The FTC’s Policies and Enforcement Actions on Unfair Methods of Competition Under Section 5Our Curious Amalgam
The FTC's unfair competition enforcement policy under FTC Act Section 5 has frequently been in the headlines the past two years. What is the history of Section 5 enforcement and how has the Commission utilized this tool since issuing its 2022 Policy Statement on unfair methods of competition? Hosts Jeny Maier and Sergei Zaslavsky explore the many aspects of Section 5 unfair competition enforcement with guest Dan Graulich. Listen to this episode to learn about the past, present, and potential future of the FTC's unfair competition enforcement policy. With special guest: Daniel Graulich, Baker...
info_outline #304 Is Per Se Here to Stay? Criminal Antitrust Cases Beyond United States v. BrewbakerOur Curious Amalgam
In the U.S., so-called "per se" antitrust crimes require nothing more than proof that the conduct occurred, relieving prosecutors of the difficult job of proving harm to competition. Is the Fourth Circuit's 2023 opinion in U.S. v. Brewbaker part of a growing judicial trend toward limiting the prosecution of per se cases? Ann O'Brien, the co-leader of Sheppard Mullin’s Antitrust and Competition Practice Group, joins Alicia Downey and Brendan Coffman to talk about Brewbaker and its implications for applying the per se standard in criminal antitrust actions. Listen to this episode to hear about...
info_outline #303 You’re Charging Me How Much? A Discussion of Personalized and Surveillance PricingOur Curious Amalgam
With the greater availability of data and algorithms, firms in today's digital age are increasingly generating prices or price recommendations based on individual consumers' personal characteristics and behaviors. Does this benefit or harm consumers, and how should policymakers respond? Sanjog Misra, a Professor of Marketing and Applied AI at the University of Chicago and thought leader on personalized pricing, joins Sergei Zaslavsky and Rubin Waranch to discuss competition and consumer protection perspectives on personalized pricing, as well as policy implications and lessons still to be...
info_outline #302 Are the Critics Wrong? How the Robinson-Patman Act Has Been Misunderstood by Its DetractorsOur Curious Amalgam
The Robinson-Patman Act (RPA) has a long, controversial history within U.S. antitrust law and economics. In this episode, Mark Poe, an attorney who specializes in RPA litigation, discusses the RPA with hosts Puja Patel and Aaron Yeater. Mark and the hosts explore Mark's view that traditional critics of RPA are incorrect, which he first presented in a recent article in Antitrust Magazine. With special guest: Mark Poe, Partner, Gaw Poe LLP Related Links: Hosted by: Puja Patel, A&O Shearman US LLP and Aaron Yeater, Analysis Group, Inc.
info_outline #301 Are Airline Mergers Taking Off? Economic Analyses of the Recent U.S. Passenger Airline TransactionsOur Curious Amalgam
The U.S. passenger airlines have been active in mergers and acquisitions since last year or so, with the Alaska/Hawaiian acquisition, the failed JetBlue/Spirit merger, and more being proposed. But how are these deals and airline competition in general analyzed from an economic perspective? Dr. Gautam Gowrisankaran, Professor of Economics at Columbia University and Senior Advisor at Cornerstone Research, speaks with Anora Wang and Kelsey Paine on market definition, calculation of market share, entry, and beyond. Listen to this episode to learn how economic analyses lay out in specific airline...
info_outline #300 What’s on the Radar? Legal and Regulatory Analysis of Airline Mergers in the U.S.Our Curious Amalgam
The U.S. passenger airlines have seen waves of active mergers and acquisitions including in 2009 through 2013 and again recently since 2023. But who is involved in the legal and regulatory reviews of an airline merger? Courtney Dyer of O'Melveny and David Heffernan of Cozen O'Connor, both with extensive experiences guiding airlines through regulatory processes, speak to Kelsey Paine and Anora Wang about their deal experiences and insights. Listen to learn about origin-destination pair, route overlap, recent matters including the Alaska Airlines' acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines completed in...
info_outlineWith the greater availability of data and algorithms, firms in today's digital age are increasingly generating prices or price recommendations based on individual consumers' personal characteristics and behaviors. Does this benefit or harm consumers, and how should policymakers respond? Sanjog Misra, a Professor of Marketing and Applied AI at the University of Chicago and thought leader on personalized pricing, joins Sergei Zaslavsky and Rubin Waranch to discuss competition and consumer protection perspectives on personalized pricing, as well as policy implications and lessons still to be learned. Listen to this episode to learn more about how economists think about personalized pricing and considerations that may influence regulators and lawmakers grappling with this increasingly prevalent practice.
With special guest:
Sanjog Misra, Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing and Applied AI, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Related Links:
Personalized Pricing and Consumer Welfare
FTC Issues Orders to Eight Companies Seeking Information on Surveillance Pricing
Hosted by:
Sergei Zaslavsky, O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Rubin Waranch, Cooley LLP