Winters on Long Island warming faster than national average

As New Yorkers scroll, surf and search their way to digital deals on Cyber Monday they have certain unique protections.

Last month, New York became the first state to enact a law targeting a practice, typically called personalized pricing or surveillance pricing, in which retailers use artificial intelligence and customers’ personal data to set prices online.

Tim Balk reports in THE NY TIMES that the law aims to prevent retailers from ripping off unwitting customers by abusing their data: jacking up the price of jeans for a shopper with a history of buying expensive pants, say, or lifting hotel prices for a traveler who already splurged on airline tickets.

Enacted through the NYS budget, the law requires retailers that use personalized pricing to post the following disclosure: “THIS PRICE WAS SET BY AN ALGORITHM USING YOUR PERSONAL DATA.”

The law attracted criticism and litigation from the start. Some business interests say it is far too broad and will cause confusion. And some consumers’ rights groups, who sought an outright ban of the practice, which is also called algorithmic pricing, worry the law is too narrow to meaningfully protect all shoppers from price-gouging.

But just about everyone seems to agree that the law…which in October survived a challenge in federal court…is a significant step in the nationwide push to regulate how businesses use their customers’ data.

There are bills pending in at least 10 states that would either ban personalized pricing outright or require disclosures, like New York. State lawmakers in California, a hotbed of A.I. development and regulation, and federal lawmakers in Washington are considering broad bans on the practice.

The push comes as technological advancements have drastically changed the internet and digital marketplace.

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A Riverhead man is facing a DWI charge following a crash on County Road 104 Saturday night, Southampton Town Police said yesterday. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Southampton Town Police and New York State Police responded to a motor vehicle collision with injuries Saturday at about 7:45 p.m., according to a Southampton Town Police press release. Responding officers found three vehicles involved in the crash, resulting in multiple people being injured.

Four people were transported by ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center and a fifth person was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. Police did not provide information about the nature of the injuries. Ambulances from Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance, Westhampton Beach Ambulance and East Quogue Fire Rescue responded, along with the Flanders Fire Department to assist the injured and safeguard the collision scene. Southampton Police detectives and the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and Forensic Identification Unit responded to investigate the crash, police said. The road remained closed in both directions until shortly after midnight.

Police said that Erik A. Yatvelasquez, 22, of Riverhead, had been arrested and is being charged with Driving While Intoxicated.

The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Southampton Town Police Department Detective Division at 631-702-2230, police said.

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Get ready for a magical holiday moment like no other! The Village of East Hampton has confirmed with the North Pole that Santa Claus is making his grand entrance at Herrick Park—by helicopter!

You are invited to be there this coming Saturday on December 6th at 11:00 AM as Santa touches down in style to spread Christmas cheer. Bring your family and friends to watch this exciting arrival and kick off the holiday season with fun and festivities! This is a FREE event, and all are welcome!

Holiday Treats for Kids

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