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Surveillance Pricing Bill Advances, AB 446 Stops Businesses From Setting Prices Based on Data, Says Consumer Watchdog

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LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — California’s landmark bill regulating surveillance pricing, AB 446 (Ward), advanced out of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary today by a vote of 8 to 3.

“Companies are using our data against us in ways that we fully don’t understand,” said Justin Kloczko, tech and privacy advocate at Consumer Watchdog. “We need a law preventing companies from using personal data to decide how much to charge each person.”

The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Chris Ward and is co-sponsored by Consumer Watchdog and the United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council.

In an era of mass surveillance and rapidly accelerating AI, AB 446 prohibits businesses from using personal information of a consumer to adjust the price of goods, said Consumer Watchdog. Despite California having the strongest data privacy laws in America, there is nothing stopping companies from using personal data to set prices, said the nonprofit. 

“This is predatory. This is discriminatory,” said Ward during today’s Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing.

The bill proposes an outright ban on surveillance pricing, defining it as “offering or setting a customized price for a good or service for a specific consumer or group of consumers, based, in whole or in part, on covered information collected through electronic surveillance technology.”

This include data on a “consumer’s behavior, characteristics, location, or other personal attributes, whether in physical or digital environments.”

The bill has been amended to clarify exemptions. Examples of when surveillance pricing doesn’t happen include when:

The difference in price is based solely on the costs of providing the service to different consumers.A discounted price is offered based on publicly disclosed eligibility criteria, like signing up for a mailing list.A discounted price is offered to members of a group, like teachers, veterans, senior citizens, or students.A discounted price is offered through a loyalty program that consumers enroll in.

Bill supporters include the American Economic Liberties Project, Consumer Federation of America, EPIC, Consumer Reports, TechEquity, and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Those opposed to the bill include the California Chamber of Commerce, the American Advertising Federation, and the California Retailers Association. 

Assemblymember Ash Kalra, the committee chair, said the proposed law is not burdensome like industry opposition makes it seem.

“We don’t want surveillance technology to be used to separate people and charge them different prices,” said Kalra. “I think the outcomes then really take us down a dark path.” 

Last year, Consumer Watchdog outlined examples of pricing algorithms in a report titled “Surveillance Price Gouging.” Companies are trying to read people’s minds and anticipate how bad they want a product and how much they are willing to pay for it, based on data such as scrolling habits and geolocation, said the nonprofit. Orbitz deployed a pricing algorithm assuming that Mac users were wealthier than non-Mac users, and charged them more for hotel rooms. And despite Consumer Watchdog requesting identical rides with the same origin and destination, and the same distance and route traveled, one rider was charged $5 more on Lyft than the other person using Lyft. There shouldn’t be a reason for that, and it’s unclear why, said the nonprofit.

The Federal Trade Commission in the final days of the Biden Administrations said surveillance pricing does happen, but the FTC appears to have now bailed on the issue under the Trump FTC, said Consumer Watchdog. California legislators now have an opportunity to address surveillance pricing, said Consumer Watchdog. 

“A law regulating surveillance pricing is especially important during a time when grocery prices have increased, the data collected on us is incredibly detailed, and the unprecedented nature of corporate algorithms and AI,” said Kloczko. “This idea that every person has an individual price is a bad one.”

View a short Consumer Alert video on surveillance practice here.

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SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

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Fangzhou CEO Honored at 2025 VBEF Conference as Company Showcases AI Medical Innovations

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May 13, 2025

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SUZHOU, China, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Fangzhou Inc. (“Fangzhou” or the “Company”) (06086.HK), a leader in Internet healthcare solutions, participated in the prestigious 2025 VBEF Future Healthcare and Medicine Conference hosted by VCBeat at the Suzhou International Expo Centre May 9-10th. Fangzhou’s founder, chairman, and CEO Dr. Xie Fangmin was named “Most Influential Healthcare Entrepreneur” as part of the 2025 Annual Future Healthcare Awards. The recognition highlights Fangzhou’s decade-long evolution as a pioneer in online medical services, including its latest advancements in large language models and safeguards against AI hallucination risks.

Dr. Xie Fangmin commented, “I am privileged to accept this award, and this recognition underscores Fangzhou’s commitment to developing innovative healthcare solutions that prioritize both safety and intelligence. Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to our mission of leveraging AI technologies to broaden healthcare accessibility, improve patient outcomes, and drive the next generation of intelligent healthcare services.”

Policy Alignment

Fangzhou’s growth strategy aligns with China’s AI regulatory framework for healthcare, including the recent 2025-2030 Pharmaceutical Industry Digital Transformation Implementation Plan which emerged from a collaborative effort among seven regulatory bodies, comprising the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (“MIIT”), the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, and other key ministries. The integration of generative AI with traditional machine-learning systems creates a foundation for widespread AI deployment, catalyzing tremendous potential opportunities in China’s healthcare industry.

AI Innovation

Since launching its H2H (Hospital to Home) Smart Healthcare Ecosystem, Fangzhou has implemented an AI integration roadmap, initially addressing chronic disease management features before progressing to more advanced applications. In 2022, the Company expanded its AI medical application research efforts, followed by the 2023 rollout of an intelligent customer service assistant. In 2024, Fangzhou incorporated DeepSeek-V2 into its platform to optimize its knowledge base and enhance content generation capabilities, and more recently in 2025, the company deployed DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1 models through strategic partnerships with Tencent Cloud and Tencent Health. To ensure the highest standards of safety and reliability, Fangzhou’s R&D team developed safeguards to address “hallucination” risks in large language models through a multifaceted approach, including knowledge base enhancements, model architecture refinement, and implementation of rigorous supervision protocols.

About Fangzhou Inc.

Fangzhou Inc. (06086.HK) is China’s leading online chronic disease management platform, serving 49.2 million registered users and 223,000 physicians (as of December 31, 2024). The Company specializes in delivering tailored medical care and precision medicine solutions. For more information, visit https://investors.jianke.com.

About VBEF Future Healthcare and Medicine Conference

The VBEF Future Healthcare and Medicine Conference convenes industry leaders, academics, and investors to address critical trends in healthcare. The 2025 forum emphasized AI applications and digital transformation.

Media Contact
For further inquiries or interviews, please reach out to:
Xingwei Zhao Associate Director of Public Relations Email: pr@jianke.com 

Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated due to various factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fangzhou-ceo-honored-at-2025-vbef-conference-as-company-showcases-ai-medical-innovations-302453511.html

SOURCE Fangzhou Inc.

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ChipMOS ANNOUNCES NT$525 MILLION SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM

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21 minutes ago

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May 13, 2025

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HSINCHU, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC. (“ChipMOS” or the “Company”) (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 8150 and Nasdaq: IMOS), an industry leading provider of outsourced semiconductor assembly and test services (“OSAT”), today announced that its Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program with the total amount up to NT$525 million (approximately US$16.4 million, based on the exchange rate of NT$31.96 to US$1.00 as of April 30, 2025).

Under the program, the company will repurchase up to 15 million shares from the open market on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, approximately 2.06% of its issued share capital. The shares will be repurchased within a price range of NT$18.87 to NT$35.00 per share, while the buyback will still be carried out if the stock price falls lower than the aforementioned range. The authorization repurchase program period is from May 14 to July 13, 2025.

S.J. Cheng, Chairman and President of ChipMOS, said, “Our strong balance sheet and long-term fundamentals give us confidence in our business, which is reflected in the new share repurchase authorization by the Board of Directors. This is in-line with our capital allocation strategy and view that our shares represent a highly compelling investment opportunity given the recent share price dislocation in the market. We continue focus on supporting our customers and executing on the longer-term, strategic initiatives that will help drive our growth and leadership success.”

About ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC.:

ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC. (“ChipMOS” or the “Company”) (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 8150 and Nasdaq: IMOS) (www.chipmos.com) is an industry leading provider of outsourced semiconductor assembly and test services. With advanced facilities in Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu Industrial Park and Southern Taiwan Science Park in Taiwan, ChipMOS is known for its track record of excellence and history of innovation. The Company provides end-to-end assembly and test services to leading fabless semiconductor companies, integrated device manufacturers and independent semiconductor foundries serving virtually all end markets worldwide.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as ‘believes,’ ‘expects,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘projects,’ ‘intends,’ ‘should,’ ‘seeks,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘future’ or similar expressions or by discussion of, among other things, strategies, goals, plans or intentions. These statements may include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding tariffs, government policies, global trade environments, pricing, plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Actual results may differ materially in the future from those reflected in forward-looking statements contained in this document, due to various factors. Further information regarding these risks, uncertainties and other factors are included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC.

Contacts:

In Taiwan

Jesse Huang

ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC.

+886-6-5052388 ext. 7715

IR@chipmos.com 

In the U.S.

David Pasquale

Global IR Partners

+1-914-337-8801

dpasquale@globalirpartners.com 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chipmos-announces-nt525-million-share-repurchase-program-302453399.html

SOURCE ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC.

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Ogury Accelerates Net Zero Strategy with 51toCarbonZero Partnership

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21 minutes ago

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May 13, 2025

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The global adtech leader sets new standards in sustainable advertising with deeper data, measurable reductions, and product innovation.

NEW YORK, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ogury, the leader in advertising solutions fueled by exclusive data and grounded in privacy, today announced a strategic partnership with 51toCarbonZero (51-0), the only net zero platform powering growth for marketing and advertising leaders. This marks a pivotal step in Ogury’s sustainability journey, as the company accelerates its path toward net zero.

Following Ogury’s signing of The Climate Pledge in 2021 – and the completion of three comprehensive Greenhouse Gas (GHG) assessments – the company has a clear understanding of its carbon footprint and is taking bold steps to minimize its environmental impact. With a mature emissions baseline and an established reduction roadmap, Ogury turned to 51-0 to leverage its advanced AI data automation capabilities and its tailored expertise in adtech sustainability – driving greater emissions visibility and faster progress toward the company’s net zero goal.

Nathalie Pannequin, Senior Culture Lead at Ogury, said: “Environmental responsibility is not an add-on for us—it’s embedded in how we operate, innovate, and grow. As we advance toward net zero, it’s critical we pair our strong foundations with targeted expertise that understands the unique emissions profile of digital advertising. 51-0 brings the deep industry knowledge and pioneering solutions we need to lead responsibly in this space. Through this partnership, we aim to set new benchmarks and share best practices for sustainability within adtech while tackling climate change head-on.”

51-0 will support Ogury’s fourth GHG assessment and help refine its global reduction roadmap, providing more granular emissions measurement and analysis across Scopes 1, 2, and 3. Together, the companies will embed sustainability even deeper into Ogury’s operations and evolve its product offering to improve environmental impact, especially for ad delivery, while promoting more responsible consumption to contribute to broader industry change.

By leveraging 51-0’s platform and climate advisory, Ogury will track progress more effectively and make data-driven decisions around operational efficiencies, which create opportunities for cost saving. The partnership underscores Ogury’s belief that environmental action is not just about ethics, but a strategic business opportunity that builds trust and long-term value with clients, suppliers, investors, and employees.

Richard Davis, CEO & Co-founder at 51toCarbonZero, said: “Ogury is a brilliant example of how climate leadership can evolve with integrity. Moving from measurement to impactful action, Ogury is now opening up opportunities to create additional revenue lines and generate operational efficiencies in a complex, fast-moving sector. We’re excited to support the team as they shape what responsible advertising looks like in a net zero future.”

This collaboration spans Ogury’s global operations across 19 countries and digital activities in 33 markets, ensuring a unified approach to sustainability. It also strengthens the environmental pillar of Ogury’s holistic ESG strategy, complementing its work to foster diversity and inclusion, responsible business practices, and long-term stakeholder impact.

Ogury and 51-0 demonstrate the power of treating climate action as both a business driver and a moral imperative—proving that with the right data, direction, and dedication decarbonizing adtech is achievable.

About Ogury
Ogury is a global adtech company that delivers Personified Advertising solutions grounded in privacy to brands, agencies and publishers by focusing on targeting personas, not people.

We deliver relevant audiences at scale and on quality publisher inventory thanks to our exclusive data, which is meticulously collected and crafted from millions of self-declared customer surveys, enriched with billions of impactful data points, and refined by AI. This results in audience insights and performance not available through any other adtech platform.

Founded in 2014, Ogury is a global organization with a diverse team of 500+ people across 19 countries.

About 51toCarbonZero
51toCarbonZero is a climate-tech company dedicated to helping organizations understand and reduce their carbon emissions. Their platform consolidates an enterprise’s entire carbon footprint, providing real-time data and actionable insights to drive carbon transformation. With a focus on industries that shape public opinion, such as media and advertising, 51-0 is expanding to serve additional sectors, including food and beverage and automotive.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ogury-accelerates-net-zero-strategy-with-51tocarbonzero-partnership-302451125.html

SOURCE Ogury LTD

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