iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 1h

If companies aren't planning on using your personal data to set individual prices, why are they filing patents to do exactly that? 🤔 Watch @lindsayowens.bsky.social on @cnn.com with @audiecornish.bsky.social explain how companies can change prices in a nanosecond based on your personal information.

042

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 7h

🧵: Walmart swears up and down it’s not deploying personalized pricing. Yet when we dug into hundreds of patents it’s filed over the past decade, we found that the retail giant is developing incredibly invasive technology for one purpose: padding its bottom line.

171

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

🚨 @lindsayowens.bsky.social goes IN on Walmart President & CEO on @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social. "He says one thing to consumers. He says another thing to investors. He says quite another thing to the patent office." We did the research: Walmart is building a veritable army of new technologies.

053

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Corporations have gotten really good at ripping us off – from the grocery aisle to our online shopping carts to the gas pump. The whole game is rigged. These are the tricks and schemes @lindsayowens.bsky.social lays out in "Gouged", available everywhere now. Thanks to @adamconover.net!

04410

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

We're in a new era where prices aren't set by how much it costs to make a good or bring it to market. "This is about a new corporate credo: The right price is the one that they can get you to fork over." @lindsayowens.bsky.social on @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social on how Big Biz is ripping you off.

010

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Talk is cheap. The patent office doesn’t lie. Walmart's CEO swears they won't use surveillance pricing on its shoppers. But its own patent applications tell a different story: Walmart is building an arsenal of new technologies designed to squeeze consumers.

1118

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the release of @lindsayowens.bsky.social’s “Gouged”! Special thanks to @warren.senate.gov and @ronanfarrow.bsky.social for joining Lindsay on stage to talk corporate power, consumer rip-offs, and how we fight back. What a night.

042

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

At its core, @lindsayowens.bsky.social's new book, Gouged, is a true crime story. Because how Big Tech and giant corporations are ripping you off should be criminal – and sometimes it is. Find out how and what to do about it. Gouged is now available wherever books are sold!

021

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

After we exposed Walmart’s shady pricing practices, its CEO rushed into damage control. Scrutiny works. But consumers shouldn’t have to police corporations for a fair deal. Our Shoppers’ Bill of Rights would protect consumers with the force of law.

181

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

We're thrilled to share that @lindsayowens.bsky.social has been named as one of @washingtonian.com's Most Powerful Women in Washington this year! Congrats to Lindsay and all the incredible women mentioned.

151

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

It’s not just Instacart or Walmart. AI-powered pricing schemes are spreading across the economy. Now StubHub has been caught treating customers like guinea pigs, testing how much they can charge different people for tickets to the same show. @lindsayowens.bsky.social on the @todayshow.com.

032

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Gouged is: "Lucid and grimly entertaining in its outrage, this is a forceful argument for fairness in the digital marketplace." But that's not us – that's @publisherswkly.bsky.social in their new review! You can pick up your copy now from wherever books are sold.

201

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Technology is making it easier for corporations to quietly rip us off – while consumers are left in the dark about how prices are set. That’s why @lindsayowens.bsky.social wrote Gouged: to expose the new tricks companies use to squeeze us – and give shoppers the tools to fight back.

162

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Tired of being overcharged and ripped off? Is your head spinning from all of the sneaky ways corporations can gouge you? @lindsayowens.bsky.social shared with @npr.org four ways to protect yourself as a shopper. But this isn't an individual problem. We need basic protections.

1269

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

American shoppers are being surveilled like never before, our @lindsayowens.bsky.social warns in her new interview with @theguardian.com. That makes dodging high prices harder than ever before. It's not your fault, and we have a solution: a Shoppers' Bill of Rights.

1176

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Do you ever wonder why, in the times of space exploration & AI, we still don’t have a lightbulb that lasts for more than a few months? That’s because light bulb companies have purposefully made their product worse. Why? @lindsayowens.bsky.social on the @weeklyshowpodcast.bsky.social explains.

151

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Our @lindsayowens.bsky.social joined @nrdc.org yesterday for Climate Week in New York City to discuss building durable environmental progress in a changing world. Thanks to all who came out!

021

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Instacart was secretly experimenting on shoppers – until we stopped them. Our @lindsayowens.bsky.social wrote the book about the tricks companies use to rip us off – and Instacart is just the tip of the iceberg. Lindsay's new op-ed in @dailymail.co.uk on how consumers can protect themselves 👇

A screenshot of a Daily Mail op-ed. Text reads: M+ Exclusive: I helped expose the Instacart pricing scandal: These are the sneaky tactics used by brands like Uber and Starbucks, major airlines and even your landlord... and how you can protect your wallet. By Lindsay Owens for the Daily Mail. Updated 7:42 EDT, 21 September 2026.

When you next log on to your favorite grocery app to order food for the week, you'll probably assume the price you see on the screen is the same price other shoppers will pay for their haul. You'd be wrong. Because, while you browse bunches of bananas and jars of peanut butter, an algorithm is probably hard at work running code, tracking every scroll and click, figuring out high it can set your price tag before you change your mind and walk away. Last year, my organization, in collaboration with Consumer Reports and More Perfect Union, exposed what was happening at Instacart. The grocery delivery company was running high-frequency pricing tests powered by AI algorithms. And while it maintained that it was merely a case of randomized A/B testing, the results for shoppers were staggering. Those buying the same product from the same store at the same time saw prices vary by as much as 23%. We estimated that these price differences could cost some families up to $1,200 per year.

362

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

People on the street can’t believe it, but it’s only a matter of time before your shopping cart knows more about you than your doctor. Shopping carts tracking your heart beat, how long you linger in an aisle, and more could be coming soon.

031

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Football fans are now stuck paying a lot more for less access to games. To watch every football game, fans now need at least 10 different streaming services, and it'll cost them up to $900 a year. Our Emily DiVito breaks it down.

040

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

We're all just trying to find the person who did this.

040

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Diesel costs have hit a new all-time high: $6.27 a gallon, per AAA.

053

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Whether fans are throwing hotdogs and burgers on the grill, frozen apps in the oven, or beer in the cooler, they’re in for higher prices on game day. Many classic items have posted double-digit price hikes – in just the last year, thanks to Trump's tariffs.

132

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Watching the game at home is no longer the affordable option it used to be. Nearly 60% of sports fans said they’ve skipped watching a game in the past year because it was too expensive – which makes sense when getting full NFL access costs up to $900 a year.

141

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

In New York, tax opponents have repeatedly claimed – without evidence – that any new taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers would cause tax flight. Fact: NY added ~2,000 millionaire tax filers in a single year, shortly AFTER the state raised its top tax rate on high earners.

14465108

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

*Diesel prices hit an all-time record high, driving up the cost of trucking everything we buy, pushing prices even higher* Trump: "It's ok, I'll never apologize. I did the right thing."

062

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

🚨NEW: Sports fans are being squeezed from every direction – from streaming platforms to the grocery aisle for the tailgate spread. A basket of classic tailgating staples costs 10% more than it did a year ago – and 13.3% more than before Trump took office.

150

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

People are draining their savings and taking on debt just to keep up with rising costs. It’s no wonder 95% of Americans say we’re in an affordability crisis. @alexsjacquez.bsky.social breaks down what’s squeezing working families across the country on @news4jax.com.

011

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

NEW: Watching the game used to be simple: turn on your TV and watch your team. Now fans are paying more for less while juggling a maze of streaming subscriptions. Want access to all 4 major sports? That will run you more than $2,600 a year.

141

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Personalized pricing is no longer the norm – and for good reason: it’s unfair, as our @lindsayowens.bsky.social tells @latimes.com. 76% of Americans agree it’s unfair for retailers to charge different prices based on their personal data. Today’s companies could use the reminder.

1134

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

"Everything the President has done has driven up the price of housing." That's our Elizabeth Pancotti in front of the @oversightdemocrats.bsky.social explaining how all the president's broken promises have made housing even more unaffordable for working families.

056

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

America’s economic outlook just got a lot more concerning – especially if you’re a young person in America. Free the Facts asked 10 policy experts – including our Breyon Williams – about what the national debt means for the next generation and why they should care.

131

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

We've never had gas prices this high this late in the year, our @alexsjacquez.bsky.social tells @msnowreports.bsky.social. And prices won't go down anytime soon as long as Trump's war with Iran drags on.

032

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

People are fed up with companies using their personal data to set different prices for the same items. Instacart had to backtrack just weeks after we released our report. The FTC has finally taken notice, but is it enough? We don't think so.

092

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Companies are using your data to set "personal" prices, & the FTC is finally starting to take notice. Some states like MD & CA are passing laws to protect consumers, but it's not nearly enough in the face of corporate greed. Even the Good Morning America anchors seem shocked this is legal.

074

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Companies like Nike, Amazon, and WalMart are getting billions of dollars in tariff refunds. Will working families see a dime? Unlikely – and certainly not from the Trump administration.

173

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Gas prices have never been higher than $4 this late in the year, but they're currently $4.07. @alexsjacquez.bsky.social knows from experience - gas prices are directly correlated to people's feelings about the economy. And the vibes are BAD. That's big trouble for Trump and Republicans.

152

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Our new proposal is simple: Bring affordable homes directly to communities where the private market has fallen short. It could expand homeownership in rural areas AND open the door for families who have historically been shut out of the housing market.

121

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Homeownership rates – especially among young Americans – are falling. The median cost to buy a home has soared to +$400,000 in just 6 years. The entry-level market is more myth than fact. We have a solution – harking back to the days when homes were affordable.

132

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

In the early 1900s, families could order their first homes from a Sears catalog. What if that “house in a box” model could help solve today’s housing crisis? Our new plan takes a page from Sears to build more starter homes, faster and for less.

130

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

🚨NEW: The median single-family home now sells for over $410,000, a staggering 24.8% increase since 2020. Our new bold proposal would address this crisis by delivering 500,000 high-quality, factory-built homes to families across the country at affordable prices.

154

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Our plan could help deliver up to 500,000 affordable homes to families across the country. It's been done before. Let's do it again. 🔗: groundworkcollaborative.org/work/the-mod...

053

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

🚨 NEW: Homeownership is slipping out of reach — especially for young Americans. The median-priced home now costs more than $400,000. Something is broken. Our new housing plan borrows an idea that helped families buy affordable starter homes more than a century ago: the Sears “house in a box.”

2135

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

This is a summer of wildfire smoke and record-breaking heat waves. But – thanks to large companies and their allies – workers still lack a comprehensive federal standard to protect them. “The focus is on the product. If the workers melt or the workers freeze, nobody gives a damn."

111

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Uber only became profitable once it started using its own algorithm against its own drivers to see what the lowest wage they'd accept was. @doctorow.pluralistic.net on @weeklyshowpodcast.bsky.social explains how AI surveillance is being used to both price gouge AND wage discriminate.

095

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Our @lindsayowens.bsky.social testified before @judiciarydems.senate.gov this week with a simple message about corporate surveillance pricing: "The answer can't be to teach everyone how to beat the machine. We must set rules of the road so the machine plays fair."

031

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

"With surveillance pricing, Big Tech has reinvented the rip off." From Target, to DoorDash, to Expedia, to Kroger — companies are secretly tracking your data and movements to charge you more for the same items. Our @lindsayowens.bsky.social with the receipts.

1107

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

NEW polling from us and @ipsosus.bsky.social: Unemployed workers are significantly more likely than employed workers to say AI is having a negative impact on their line of work. These are people already locked out of the job market telling us they see the door slamming shut.

122

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Imagine: it's midnight and your child is sick. You ask Walmart's AI to suggest a thermometer & Tylenol. Now it knows your purchase is urgent. @lindsayowens.bsky.social told the @judiciarydems.senate.gov: The risk of being ripped off is only poised to grow.

185

Groundwork Collaborative @groundwork.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

46% of college graduates think AI will improve their job, but only 19% of workers with a high school diploma say the same. Like everything else in a K-shaped economy, AI's impact is unequal. Great news for the top, more pressure for everyone else. 🔗: groundworkcollaborative.org/work/ai-at-w...

020