Mastodawn

victor tsaran Mar 14

Washington Post notifies subscribers their rates are set to increase, explaining the price rise“was set by an algorithm using your personal data.” https://washingtonian.com/2026/03/12/the-washington-post-is-using-reader-data-to-set-subscription-prices-how-does-that-work/

The Washington Post Is Using Reader Data to Set Subscription Prices. How Does That Work? - Washingtonian

If recent events have not compelled you to cancel your Washington Post subscription, then you might have been in for sticker shock at the dawn of your latest billing cycle. Many readers have been notified via email that their subscription rates are set to increase. Nestled at the bottom of these emails, you'll find an

Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.

Ari "Two Sheds" Jackson Mar 14

This kind of pricing is just so gross! It's so predatory. 🤬

George Girton Mar 14

waiting to hear the Washington Post has discovered I'm still driving my mom's 2001 Honda, and therefore they are going to be lowering my subscription rate.🍸😹

Matt Blaze Mar 14

@newsguyusa Predatory behavior that even casinos aren’t allowed to do.

Darryl Ramm Mar 14

@mattblaze @newsguyusa

All signs from the Washington Post is that Jeff Bezos has in fact got his dick caught in a big fat wringer.

Kenton Riley Mar 14

@darryl_ramm @mattblaze @newsguyusa the instructions were unclear and the fan was right there.

Flaming Cheeto Mar 14

@mattblaze @newsguyusa Sooo, if I have a hot dog stand without a posted price list and Bezos orders one with onions, can I charge him $10,000,000.00 ?
Then sue when he balks? I already handed it to him, I can't sell it to anyone else. It's a fair price based on his data.

@PizzaDemon @mattblaze @newsguyusa As long as it’s not a form of general discrimination (race, religion, etc.. ) then yes… there is nothing stopping you from charging a customer (like Bezos) whatever the heck you like. Or refuse sale. Not sure you can sue if he turns down your offer though. Oh and you can show a price list if you like, Bezoboy can accept your offered price or take a walk.

Flaming Cheeto Mar 14

@kDelta @mattblaze @newsguyusa IANAL
I understand that most forms of price discrimination/ dynamic pricing are technically legal but I wanted to paint a dramatic example of how absurd it can be. It can also be truly damaging: retailers charging a couple % more when they know you've just gotten paid. Gig employers offering a couple % less when they know you're late on your bills.

I stated JB had the hot dog as a crude offer & acceptance of consideration.

Kim Scheinberg Mar 14

@mattblaze @newsguyusa
In fairness, casinos *do* charge based on user data, but usually in the other direction. The richest gamblers (or, rather, the ones who gamble the most money) get everything for free, rather than having their prices hiked

Also, there's a group of extremely wealthy people who meet once a month at the Four Seasons (admission to the group is based on liquid net worth) and their room rate is *much* lower than rack rate

The super rich are rarely victims of predatory pricing

Matt Blaze Mar 14

@kims @newsguyusa Indeed. I'm thinking about the prohibition on adjusting odds based on player behavior.

Paul Dot X Mar 14

@newsguyusa seems like a good time to cancel......

Matthew Vaughn Mar 14

@newsguyusa
Cool. Put me down for $0

@newsguyusa
#JOMO

Gerard Cunningham ✒️Mar 14

Cue another wave of cancellations.

johnny anhedonic Mar 14

@newsguyusa ah surge pricing. from each according to their ability to each according to slightly more than they can bear.

@newsguyusa it makes print look more appealing.

mark zero Mar 14

@newsguyusa I don't like this idea for a national paper, but I have to admit a lower price for out-of-state subscribers of a smaller paper would be appealing. (Of course, that's still not at the *personal* level.)

I wonder what @jeffjarvis thinks?

@newsguyusa it seems that taxes should work based on the same principle: the more money you’ve got, the more you pay.

@newsguyusa I don't see this for "supposed" national newspapers, but then again, WaPo ended their position as a serious news organization some time ago. I certainly do not intend to subscribe again ever - unless they have a change in ownership and management and a big mea culpa and a promise to be fearless and truthful. Not holding my breath.

@newsguyusa Gotta cancel that sub!

millsy666 Mar 14

@newsguyusa there it is, China's social credit system in action. As soon as china started that system, our overlords started working on making it global

yunchtime Mar 14

good opportunity to tell Jeff Bezos to take a flying fuck! cancel.

@newsguyusa
I applied my own algorithm based on how valuable WaPo is to me this year, and the value has gone down. Since we can't agree, bye

@newsguyusa
Maybe my algorithm shows how much I despise the WAPO. Guess my non -existent rates will skyrocket now, eh?

Don Hawkins - W7DAH Mar 14

@newsguyusa @AnnaAnthro The #price of a #subscription should be going down since #Bozo fired so many #journalists.

It’s a lesser product than it was before.

Bozo #Bezos wants to charge more for less? WTF?

Hard pass. I’m going with the #SeattleTimes instead.

KanaMauna Mar 14

@newsguyusa Dude, we know what you want. Just shut it down and stop these silly games.

@huggydude🇺🇦Mar 14

@newsguyusa Boy, I am not sorry that I cancelled my subscription.... if this is traditional media we are all in a sorry place for sure!

KanaMauna Mar 14

This raises an ugly question: If vendors are allowed to set prices according to opaque decisions based on "your personal data", how do we know this isn't just a cover for some type of discrimination (racial, religious, sexual, etc.)?

Roadskater, Ph.D.Mar 14

@newsguyusa People responding to this need to step back with their snark and ask, "What data does WaPo have about their readers and how did they obtain it?" Is it basic stuff, like "let's charge subscribers in Bethesda more because they can afford it" or have they gone full evil with "we matched up your WaPo and Amazon accounts, and, hoo boy, we're gonna charge you up the whazoo"?

Doc Chaotic 🇺🇦🖖Mar 14

@roadskater @newsguyusa Another question occurs to me. Are they completely oblivious to the reaction of their soon to be former subscribers or are they counting on it? Is it designed to produce conditions that business bosses will use to justify eliminating more "division of church and state" in newsrooms? Is it a cunning maneuver or just arrogant stupidity on Bezos' part? Data abuse is the larger concern, but his predatory strategies are not insignificant. Others will duplicate his actions.

nicolaottomano Mar 14

@newsguyusa
Even if they doubled my subscription, it would not matter for me. They are still 0$!

Oliver Schafeld Mar 14

Quick question for a fishmonger friend of mine: Any special discount on fish wrapping paper?

🐟📰

Virginicus Mar 14

@oliver_schafeld The Post isn’t just a fish wrapper. It comes in a plastic bag that’s useful when subscribers walk their dogs.

Tofm2 🇫🇷 🇺🇦 🇪🇺Mar 14

@newsguyusa Another reason to suspend your subscription.

Who has a subscription to this toilet paper by the way?

Anna Kyle Mar 14

@newsguyusa WHATTHEFUCK

Calum Andrew Morrell Mar 14

@newsguyusa @WarnerCrocker Why isn't this an Onion article?

Adam Davis Mar 14

@newsguyusa
This type of pricing is a giant FU to customers. I hope they have a ton of cancellations.

Q.H. Stone Mar 14

@newsguyusa No one should be paying money for WaPo after Bezos destroyed it. He turned it into a rag.

Michael ☕️Mar 15

@newsguyusa
So, billionaires can charge people according to what they're able to pay for a propaganda newspaper, but the tax code can't do the same to billionaires?

#USPol #TaxTheRich #WaPo #Bezos #IRS #TaxFairness #EatTheRich #TaxTheBillionaires #USFederalBudget

@mcpinson @newsguyusa

What?

My connection was garbled for a minute.

Did you just say something about "From each according to ability, to each according to their need?"

So similar, right? 🙂