Katie J. Wells
@katiejwells.bsky.social
i study how labor platforms shape the way we live in cities. geographer. research director @groundwork.bsky.social. new book: DISRUPTING D.C. (Princeton Univ Press 2023) http://katiejwells.net
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
One citizen said that federal agents in Idaho pointed guns at her children, ages 6 and 8, and dragged her 14-year-old daughter out of a truck and zip-tied her.
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
Immigration Agents Have Often Grabbed and Mistreated Citizens, Congressional Investigators Find
Prompted by ProPublica’s reporting, an investigation by Senate Democrats documented the experiences of nearly two dozen citizens wrongly detained by immigration agents, contradicting the Trump adminis...
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 2:30 AM
One citizen said that federal agents in Idaho pointed guns at her children, ages 6 and 8, and dragged her 14-year-old daughter out of a truck and zip-tied her.
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Now the family has to monitor for potential long-term damage to their daughter’s lungs and eyes.
This is just one of the many stories in this article on the horrors US citizens are facing with ICE.
This is just one of the many stories in this article on the horrors US citizens are facing with ICE.
The U.S. citizens getting caught in Trump’s immigration crackdown
Latinos describe being detained and assaulted by officers who want to know: “Where were you born?”
www.washingtonpost.com
December 14, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Now the family has to monitor for potential long-term damage to their daughter’s lungs and eyes.
This is just one of the many stories in this article on the horrors US citizens are facing with ICE.
This is just one of the many stories in this article on the horrors US citizens are facing with ICE.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
"Seven News reported the bystander was a 43-year-old fruit shop owner from the Sutherland Shire named Ahmed. ... the father of two had been admitted after being shot twice."
A good guy without a gun stops a bad guy with a gun.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Bystander tackles and wrestles gun from alleged gunman during Bondi beach mass shooting
Video shows the man rushing one of the alleged gunmen who shot dozens of people on Sunday evening in Australia
www.theguardian.com
December 14, 2025 at 9:21 PM
"Seven News reported the bystander was a 43-year-old fruit shop owner from the Sutherland Shire named Ahmed. ... the father of two had been admitted after being shot twice."
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Ahmed al Ahmed, a Lebanese Muslim who owns a Sydney fruit shop, risked his life to disarm one of the Bondi Beach shooters.
His courage gives me hope amidst the horror and darkness. Muslims and Jews are not enemies. Our futures, in the Middle East and beyond, are intrinsically bound.
A true hero.
His courage gives me hope amidst the horror and darkness. Muslims and Jews are not enemies. Our futures, in the Middle East and beyond, are intrinsically bound.
A true hero.
December 14, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Ahmed al Ahmed, a Lebanese Muslim who owns a Sydney fruit shop, risked his life to disarm one of the Bondi Beach shooters.
His courage gives me hope amidst the horror and darkness. Muslims and Jews are not enemies. Our futures, in the Middle East and beyond, are intrinsically bound.
A true hero.
His courage gives me hope amidst the horror and darkness. Muslims and Jews are not enemies. Our futures, in the Middle East and beyond, are intrinsically bound.
A true hero.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
"Weissman was in her dorm room at Brown when a friend called to warn her that a shooting was under way. Her initial feelings of panic soon turned to anger, she told NBC. “I’m angry that I thought I’d never have to deal with this again, and here I am eight years later,” Weissman told NBC News."
Two survivors of Brown University attack escaped other school shootings
Mia Tretta was shot in the abdomen in 2019 at a school near LA and Zoe Weissman witnessed a Florida shooting in 2018
www.theguardian.com
December 14, 2025 at 2:23 PM
"Weissman was in her dorm room at Brown when a friend called to warn her that a shooting was under way. Her initial feelings of panic soon turned to anger, she told NBC. “I’m angry that I thought I’d never have to deal with this again, and here I am eight years later,” Weissman told NBC News."
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Masked men wearing ICE vests—but who refused to present a warrant or identify themselves—roped off a construction site, trapping two men on a roof for hours in subzero temps. Protesters gathered. Masked men eventually left, and one man on the roof was taken away by ambulance kstp.com/kstp-news/to...
December 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Masked men wearing ICE vests—but who refused to present a warrant or identify themselves—roped off a construction site, trapping two men on a roof for hours in subzero temps. Protesters gathered. Masked men eventually left, and one man on the roof was taken away by ambulance kstp.com/kstp-news/to...
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Instacart is using algorithmic pricing to charge you 20% more for your Wheat Thins.
Instacart’s AI-Enabled Pricing Experiments May Be Inflating Your Grocery Bill, CR and Groundwork Collaborative Investigation Finds - Consumer Reports
Exclusive: Instacart’s AI pricing may be inflating your grocery bill.
www.consumerreports.org
December 14, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Instacart is using algorithmic pricing to charge you 20% more for your Wheat Thins.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
The anti-Semitic mass shooting in Australia will cause a national conversation and policy change. We know this because the 1996 Port Arthur massacre led to significant restrictions on guns.
The shooting at Brown will do nothing. We know this because it occurred on the anniversary of Sandy Hook.
The shooting at Brown will do nothing. We know this because it occurred on the anniversary of Sandy Hook.
‘I heard 40, 50 shots’: Witnesses fled Bondi Beach as gunmen targeted Jewish event
‘I heard 40, 50 shots’: Witnesses fled Bondi Beach as gunmen targeted Jewish event
Gunshots ripped through a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, killing at least 12 people
www.irishtimes.com
December 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The anti-Semitic mass shooting in Australia will cause a national conversation and policy change. We know this because the 1996 Port Arthur massacre led to significant restrictions on guns.
The shooting at Brown will do nothing. We know this because it occurred on the anniversary of Sandy Hook.
The shooting at Brown will do nothing. We know this because it occurred on the anniversary of Sandy Hook.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
WOW. @haleaziz.bsky.social with a new scoop: ICE now gets a running list of every person who is going to be taking a domestic flight inside the United States from the TSA and runs it through their database looking for targets. This explains the Babson College student's arrest.
Immigration Agents Are Using Air Passenger Data for Deportation Effort
www.nytimes.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:26 PM
WOW. @haleaziz.bsky.social with a new scoop: ICE now gets a running list of every person who is going to be taking a domestic flight inside the United States from the TSA and runs it through their database looking for targets. This explains the Babson College student's arrest.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
so @consumerreports.org, @moreperfectunion.bsky.social and @groundwork.bsky.social actually found that Instacart was doing this: www.consumerreports.org/money/questi...
If anyone want to be a part of our next wave of community reports studies: www.consumerreports.org/community-re...
If anyone want to be a part of our next wave of community reports studies: www.consumerreports.org/community-re...
December 12, 2025 at 8:21 PM
so @consumerreports.org, @moreperfectunion.bsky.social and @groundwork.bsky.social actually found that Instacart was doing this: www.consumerreports.org/money/questi...
If anyone want to be a part of our next wave of community reports studies: www.consumerreports.org/community-re...
If anyone want to be a part of our next wave of community reports studies: www.consumerreports.org/community-re...
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
While families everywhere are struggling to put food on the table – Big Tech is exploiting your data to rake in record profits.
I'm demanding answers from Instacart.
I'm demanding answers from Instacart.
December 12, 2025 at 5:54 PM
While families everywhere are struggling to put food on the table – Big Tech is exploiting your data to rake in record profits.
I'm demanding answers from Instacart.
I'm demanding answers from Instacart.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
You must read the new report from @katiejwells.bsky.social, groundwork, and consumer reports auditing instacart price manipulation. That platforms like this (or Amazon, or...) can play both sides of the market is probably a significant ingredient to post-Covid "sellers inflation."
Same Cart, Different Price: Instacart’s Price Experiments Cost Families at Checkout - Groundwork Collaborative
groundworkcollaborative.org
December 12, 2025 at 1:49 PM
You must read the new report from @katiejwells.bsky.social, groundwork, and consumer reports auditing instacart price manipulation. That platforms like this (or Amazon, or...) can play both sides of the market is probably a significant ingredient to post-Covid "sellers inflation."
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
A new study from @groundwork.bsky.social, @moreperfectunion.bsky.social and @consumerreports.org found:
- 74% of items had multiple prices
- Up to 5 different prices for the exact same product
- Basket totals for the same 20 items varied by 7%
A 7% swing could cost families $1,200 more a year
- 74% of items had multiple prices
- Up to 5 different prices for the exact same product
- Basket totals for the same 20 items varied by 7%
A 7% swing could cost families $1,200 more a year
December 11, 2025 at 8:46 PM
A new study from @groundwork.bsky.social, @moreperfectunion.bsky.social and @consumerreports.org found:
- 74% of items had multiple prices
- Up to 5 different prices for the exact same product
- Basket totals for the same 20 items varied by 7%
A 7% swing could cost families $1,200 more a year
- 74% of items had multiple prices
- Up to 5 different prices for the exact same product
- Basket totals for the same 20 items varied by 7%
A 7% swing could cost families $1,200 more a year
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Lawmakers mull action on ‘dynamic’ AI-powered pricing in wake of ‘shocking’ Instacart report
Lawmakers mull action on ‘dynamic’ AI-powered pricing in wake of ‘shocking’ Instacart report
"Instacart was trying to figure out how much money they could make on Target shoppers," said Lindsay Owens, executive director of Groundwork Collaborative.
nypost.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Lawmakers mull action on ‘dynamic’ AI-powered pricing in wake of ‘shocking’ Instacart report
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
NEW: Our experts, along with @consumerreports.org and @moreperfectunion.bsky.social looked into how Instacart was deciding prices on grocery items across the country.
What we found will shock you.
What we found will shock you.
Same Cart, Different Price: Instacart’s Price Experiments Cost Families at Checkout - Groundwork Collaborative
groundworkcollaborative.org
December 9, 2025 at 5:44 PM
NEW: Our experts, along with @consumerreports.org and @moreperfectunion.bsky.social looked into how Instacart was deciding prices on grocery items across the country.
What we found will shock you.
What we found will shock you.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
In collaboration w/ @groundwork.bsky.social & @moreperfectunion.bsky.social, we convened hundreds of volunteers from across the country to investigate Instacart’s AI-assisted pricing experiments at popular grocery stores like Target & Kroger. Read our full investigation below:
Instacart’s AI-Enabled Pricing Experiments May Be Inflating Your Grocery Bill, CR and Groundwork Collaborative Investigation Finds - Consumer Reports
Exclusive: Instacart’s AI pricing may be inflating your grocery bill.
www.consumerreports.org
December 9, 2025 at 3:43 PM
In collaboration w/ @groundwork.bsky.social & @moreperfectunion.bsky.social, we convened hundreds of volunteers from across the country to investigate Instacart’s AI-assisted pricing experiments at popular grocery stores like Target & Kroger. Read our full investigation below:
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Sign our petition to the FTC to investigate Instacart’s pricing algorithm: action.consumerreports.org/social-20251...
You'll also get updates to join similar projects like this in the future.
You'll also get updates to join similar projects like this in the future.
December 11, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Sign our petition to the FTC to investigate Instacart’s pricing algorithm: action.consumerreports.org/social-20251...
You'll also get updates to join similar projects like this in the future.
You'll also get updates to join similar projects like this in the future.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Today, Cory Doctorow is talking about surveillance pricing and Instacart. Including Costco:
pluralistic.net/2025/12/11/n...
pluralistic.net/2025/12/11/n...
Pluralistic: Instacart reaches into your pocket and lops a third off your dollars (11 Dec 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net
December 11, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Today, Cory Doctorow is talking about surveillance pricing and Instacart. Including Costco:
pluralistic.net/2025/12/11/n...
pluralistic.net/2025/12/11/n...
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
The most *chef's kiss* part of this story is when Instacart says it's the stores that set the prices and then the stores point the finger right back at Instacart and say they don't set the prices on the platform.
truthout.org/articles/ins...
truthout.org/articles/ins...
Instacart Reportedly Using Secret AI-Powered Dynamic Pricing to Jack Up Prices
In an experiment, investigators found that the same grocery basket at a Seattle store cost between $114 and $124.
truthout.org
December 10, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The most *chef's kiss* part of this story is when Instacart says it's the stores that set the prices and then the stores point the finger right back at Instacart and say they don't set the prices on the platform.
truthout.org/articles/ins...
truthout.org/articles/ins...
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Remember that guy who argued with me for half a day that poor people in food deserts would be fine just using Walmart delivery?
Anyway.
Anyway.
Instacart got caught running real-time price experiments on shoppers — same groceries, different prices.
Workers know this game well: Instacart’s algorithm does the same thing to their pay.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/b...
Workers know this game well: Instacart’s algorithm does the same thing to their pay.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/b...
Same Product, Same Store, but on Instacart, Prices Might Differ
www.nytimes.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Remember that guy who argued with me for half a day that poor people in food deserts would be fine just using Walmart delivery?
Anyway.
Anyway.
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
Feel like you’re getting ripped off at the grocery store? Instacart is screwing you. And so are the rest.
youtu.be/osxr7xSxsGo?...
youtu.be/osxr7xSxsGo?...
We Had 400 People Shop For Groceries. What We Found Will Shock You.
YouTube video by More Perfect Union
youtu.be
December 11, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Feel like you’re getting ripped off at the grocery store? Instacart is screwing you. And so are the rest.
youtu.be/osxr7xSxsGo?...
youtu.be/osxr7xSxsGo?...
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
The White House surely wants to see one of these ICE crackdowns lead to violent pushback. They've got untrained unqualified goons acting with impunity. It seems deliberately designed to provoke an incident.
But do the goons get this? Do they know the big plan is to get a couple of them killed?
But do the goons get this? Do they know the big plan is to get a couple of them killed?
Susan Tincher, a 55-year-old American citizen, said agents told her in the truck that if she didn’t watch herself “they were going to pull me over to the side of the road and give me this OC,” law enforcement shorthand for pepper spray.
Federal agents arrest citizen observer watching ICE detain neighbors on her north Minneapolis block
Susan Tincher, a 55-year-old American citizen, appears to be the first observer arrested by federal immigration enforcement officers since the agency launched an immigration surge in the Twin Cities l...
www.mprnews.org
December 11, 2025 at 1:23 AM
The White House surely wants to see one of these ICE crackdowns lead to violent pushback. They've got untrained unqualified goons acting with impunity. It seems deliberately designed to provoke an incident.
But do the goons get this? Do they know the big plan is to get a couple of them killed?
But do the goons get this? Do they know the big plan is to get a couple of them killed?
Reposted by Katie J. Wells
The Wall Street Journal says this investigation led Instacart’s stock price to fall.
December 10, 2025 at 10:12 PM
The Wall Street Journal says this investigation led Instacart’s stock price to fall.