[baxtr]

So in essence the merchant pays with my data?

[conductr]

In theory you’re already paying the merchant fee in the “price”. So merchant found a way to improve margins and credit card companies found a new revenue source

[bredren]

Yes, though people also welcome the extra cash back or other card benefits.

Apple Card does not sell this data, IIRC. But offers a lower cash back than many other cards.

[Terretta]

True, while Google sees roughly 85% of all American cardholder swipes and doesn't need to sell it since they're making the ad market...

[fragmede]

> while Google sees roughly 85% of all American cardholder swipe

I'm probably not reading this properly, can you say that a different way?

[yolovoe]

Google buys transaction data from credit card companies (Visa, Mastercard, etc). They almost certainly know what you spend money on

[cluckindan]

For every 20 Americans with a credit card, 17 have all their purchases sent to Google.

[andrepd]

How on earth is this legal

[idle_zealot]

Things that aren't explicitly made illegal are legal. Who would invest the resources necessary to get a law banning this passed?

[actionfromafar]

Corporations are people, too.

[gruez]

Or phrased less inflammatory manner: "Corporations can enter into contracts and engage in legal action just like people can". Even the much maligned Citizens United v. FEC basically boils down to "groups of people (corporations or labor unions) don't lose first amendment protections just because they decided to group up".

[thatsbogus]

Except not everyone in a corporation has the right to speech. I'm prohibited by my employer to say anything on the company's behalf, but the C-suite and board are able to speak on my behalf. So, the company's leadership has a right to free speech, I don't.

[sgammon]

This comment is quoting Mitt Romney

[liontwist]

This is the real reason why they can afford to give you cash back.