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Bill

SB 615

Consumer Data Protection Act; online device pricing, prohibition.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stella Pekarsky

Virginia bill bans online retailers from charging different prices based on consumer device type or location to prevent algorithmic price discrimination.

Continued to next session in General Laws and Technology (15-Y 0-N)
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Bill Summary · SB 615

Legislative bill overview

SB 615 prohibits online retailers from using device-based pricing strategies that charge different prices to consumers based on their hardware, location data, or browsing device characteristics. The bill aims to prevent price discrimination where consumers accessing the same product through different devices (smartphone vs. computer) or from different locations see different prices for identical items.

Why is this important

Price discrimination based on device tracking raises consumer protection concerns, as it can exploit users with older devices or those accessing services from specific regions. This practice has grown with digital commerce and algorithmic pricing, making transparency and fairness in online pricing increasingly relevant to consumer trust and market competition.

Potential points of contention

  • Business model impact: Online retailers argue device-based pricing reflects different operational costs and that price customization is standard practice; the bill may limit legitimate pricing strategies
  • Enforcement challenges: Determining what constitutes prohibited "device-based pricing" versus lawful dynamic pricing based on legitimate factors (supply, demand, inventory) could create ambiguity
  • Interstate commerce complications: Virginia-only legislation may face challenges regulating multi-state online retailers and could create compliance complexity for national e-commerce platforms

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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