Roger Linn is a legend in the world of musical instruments. He’s been at the cutting edge of music technology for decades. He created the LM-1, the first drum machine to use samples, and its successor, the LinnDrum, is one of the most iconic drum machines of all time. They were used on countless records in the 1980s, including hits by Tom Petty, Queen, and Tears for Fears. But the most notable fan was probably Prince, who used them extensively on Purple Rain and 1999.
Technology
JetBlue lawsuit raises airline pricing questions
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Booking a flight can feel like a guessing game. You search once, spot a decent price, come back later and suddenly it is higher. Most people shrug and assume demand changed. Now, a new lawsuit against JetBlue is challenging that idea.
The proposed class action claims the airline tracked a customer’s behavior during the booking process for the purpose of setting or adjusting ticket prices. According to the complaint, that data was collected without clear consent and may have included browsing activity and other user characteristics. The lawsuit also alleges that customers were not informed if their data was being shared or sold to third parties.
JetBlue strongly disputes the allegation. The airline says fares depend on demand and seat availability, not personal browsing behavior. Still, the case taps into a growing concern that goes far beyond one airline.
5 WORRISOME PRIVACY CLAUSES HIDDEN IN SMART HOME DEVICES
A new lawsuit against JetBlue raises questions about how airfare prices are set. (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto)
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What the JetBlue lawsuit claims about pricing data
The lawsuit, filed by New York resident Andrew Phillips in federal court in New York, alleges that JetBlue monitored user activity on its website using tracking tools while he searched for flights. According to the complaint, that data was used to help adjust prices in real time.
It also claims that when a user searched for a flight, left the site and later returned to complete the booking, the fare increased. The filing suggests this may have been tied to tracking technology rather than normal pricing changes.
The complaint further alleges that this data was collected without clear disclosure and that users may not have been aware of how their information was being gathered or used.
“Consumers should not have to have their privacy rights violated to participate in the digital race for airline tickets,” the lawsuit alleges.
The airline disputes these claims. In a public statement, JetBlue said it does not use personal data or browsing history to set individual prices and that all customers have access to the same fares at the same time.
CyberGuy reached out to JetBlue for additional comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
The bigger issue: surveillance pricing in airlines
The lawsuit centers on a concept called surveillance pricing. That refers to companies using personal data to adjust prices for different people. Surveillance pricing extends beyond airlines. It has become a broader concern as more companies rely on AI and advanced analytics.
In theory, two people could search for the same flight at the same time and see different prices based on factors like location, device type or browsing history. Companies rarely confirm this practice outright, but consumer advocates have raised concerns for years.
Airlines have long used dynamic pricing, which changes fares based on demand. The key question here is whether personal data plays a role in that calculation.
How AI is changing airline pricing behind the scenes
Many carriers now rely on artificial intelligence to analyze booking patterns, predict demand shifts and adjust fares in real time. We recently reported on this shift, showing how AI is reshaping the way travelers book flights and how prices are set across the industry. These systems can process large amounts of data at once, including route demand, seasonal trends and competitor pricing.
While airlines say this improves efficiency, it can also make pricing feel less predictable to the average traveler. That is what makes the current lawsuit stand out. It raises the question of whether AI-driven pricing could go a step further by factoring in more detailed data about how people search and book, something airlines like JetBlue say they do not use for individual pricing.
Travelers often see prices change between searches, but the reasons are not always clear. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
JetBlue’s viral response and why it matters
300,000 CHROME USERS HIT BY FAKE AI EXTENSIONS
Part of the lawsuit points to a social media exchange that quickly drew attention. A customer posted about a $230 jump in ticket price after checking a flight the day before while trying to book travel for a funeral.
In response, JetBlue suggested clearing cookies or using an incognito window. The comment was later deleted. According to the lawsuit, that response appeared to acknowledge that browsing behavior could influence pricing.
JetBlue disputes that interpretation. The airline said the reply came from a customer service employee and was a mistake. It also stated that clearing cookies or using private browsing would not change the fares available for purchase.
Even so, the exchange struck a nerve. For many travelers, it reinforced a long-standing suspicion that repeated searches or personal data might affect what they pay, even as airlines deny using that information for pricing.
Why airline ticket prices change so fast
Before assuming the worst, it helps to understand how airline pricing works today. Airlines use complex systems that adjust fares constantly. Prices can change within minutes based on demand, available seats, route popularity and competitor pricing.
If a flight starts filling up, the price usually rises. That means a price jump after you return to a search does not automatically point to tracking. It could simply reflect someone else booking a seat or increased demand.
Still, the lawsuit raises a valid concern about transparency. Travelers rarely know what factors are driving the price they see.
What this means to you
JetBlue says it does not tailor prices based on your digital footprint. According to the airline, you are not paying more because you searched twice or used a specific device. Instead, fares shift based on broader factors like seat availability, timing and demand on a route.
That said, prices can still feel unpredictable. Comparing options across platforms remains one of the best ways to avoid overpaying. Acting quickly when you find a fare you like can also make a difference, especially on popular routes.
If you are concerned about tracking, simple steps like using private browsing or switching devices may help limit how much of your activity is visible during repeated searches.
Some travelers also use a VPN to mask their location. While airlines like JetBlue say pricing does not depend on personal data like IP address or browsing history, a VPN can still add a layer of privacy by reducing how much information is shared during the booking process.
For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com
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Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: CyberGuy.com
JetBlue denies using personal data or browsing history to set individual ticket prices. (Greg Lovett/Palm Beach Post)
Kurt’s key takeaways
If you have ever felt like flight prices change in ways that do not quite make sense, you are not alone. This lawsuit taps into a bigger question about how much companies know about us and how that information gets used. Airlines like JetBlue say personal data isn’t part of pricing. Still, the way prices change can feel confusing and unpredictable. For now, the best move is to compare prices, take your time and do not assume the first fare you see is the best one.
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Are you comfortable with surveillance pricing, or does it cross a line for you? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
There isn’t really a solid equivalent to Goodreads or Letterboxd for music lovers, but Record Club is aiming to change that. Yes, we have Rate Your Music, but its interface is crowded, and it feels more geared towards longer-form reviews than cataloging your listening habits and connecting with other fans. Record Club is clean and modern, with a streamlined interface that’s quite similar to Letterboxd.
The basic features you’d expect from such a site are all there. You can rate and review records or mark them as listened to. You can also see what your friends are listening to and see what albums are trending with other users. There’s a spot on your profile to list your five favorite albums, plus five records you have in heavy rotation. You can also create custom lists (ranked or unranked) and share them — handy for tracking your top albums of the year, or putting together genre-specific crash courses. You can also add records to your queue, so you can keep track of albums you want to listen to, but haven’t gotten around to yet. (I’ll probably be making extensive use of that.)
You can follow your favorite artists as well as entire record labels. That makes it easy to stay on top of new artists on labels like 4AD, AD 93, Fire Talk, and Warp. Record Club pulls all of its data from the open-source music encyclopedia MusicBrainz. If you sign up, give me a follow, and see what I’m spinning on repeat this week.
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Credit freezes have been free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion since 2018. They are built to block one of the most common forms of identity fraud: new credit applications opened in your name. But the latest numbers show why a freeze cannot be your only line of defense.
Javelin Strategy & Research’s 2026 Identity Fraud Study found that traditional identity fraud losses reached $27.3 billion last year, affecting 18 million victims. New account fraud saw the sharpest rise, with victims jumping 31% from 2024 to 2025.
The problem is that not every fraud attempt comes through your existing credit file. The Federal Reserve has flagged synthetic identity fraud as one major gap.
This type of fraud pairs a real Social Security number (SSN) with a fabricated name and date of birth, which can bypass a freeze entirely. A freeze placed on your name does not stop a credit application filed under a name that does not yet exist on any bureau file. That is where the limits of a credit freeze become much clearer.
YOU DON’T NEED AN SSN TO OPEN A CREDIT CARD: SCAMMERS KNOW THAT
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A credit freeze can block many new credit applications, but it cannot protect every part of your financial life. (Nastasic/Getty Images)
What a credit freeze can block
A freeze restricts access to your credit file at all major credit bureaus. Without access to that file, lenders deny the application. Most new credit applications run through that pull, which is why a freeze is the most direct way to block fraudulent ones.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has logged 503,450 reports of credit card fraud in the first three quarters of 2025 alone, the most common identity theft category tracked by the agency. Credit card fraud and loan or lease fraud both run through credit bureau-based applications. Bank account takeover, employment fraud and tax refund fraud do not require a bureau pull, and a freeze does nothing for them. Freezes are placed at each bureau separately and are not shared across the three.
Why credit freeze limits matter with synthetic identity fraud
Synthetic identity fraud builds a person who doesn’t exist. A scammer takes an SSN stolen in a breach, attaches a name that has never been on a credit file, adds a fabricated birthdate and address and submits it as a new credit application. The bureaus, seeing an SSN they recognize and a name they don’t, open a fresh file under the new combination. The file is thin at first. The scammer then works it slowly with small approved cards, a line or two of credit and a few months of clean payments. By the time it looks real enough for a meaningful credit limit, the scammer maxes it and vanishes.
By the end of 2024, U.S. lenders faced more than $3.3 billion in exposure from synthetic identity fraud, the highest level TransUnion has reported. The Federal Reserve’s most recent Risk Officer Report also found that financial institutions are seeing more virtual and synthetic identity account openings, and that detection often happens too late.
In other words, this is exactly the kind of fraud a credit freeze may never catch. The freeze you placed on your own file never touches the application, because it isn’t filed in your name. The bureaus treat it as a separate consumer.
DON’T LET THIS CREDIT CARD FRAUD NIGHTMARE HAPPEN TO YOU
Synthetic identity fraud can pair a real Social Security number with fake personal details to create a new credit file. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What credit freeze limits leave exposed
Synthetic identity fraud isn’t the only kind of fraud a freeze misses. Any fraud that doesn’t require a bureau pull bypasses it.
- A scammer who already has access to your existing credit card account doesn’t open a new one. They change the email on file and start charging.
- A fraudulent tax return uses your SSN to claim your refund before you file.
- Medical identity theft submits insurance claims under your name.
- A 401(k) takeover can happen entirely through a recordkeeper’s call center, with no bureau pull at any step.
Why a credit freeze isn’t set and forget
A freeze only helps when it’s in place at all three bureaus and stays there. Neither is guaranteed.
You set the freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately. A freeze at one isn’t a freeze at the others. Lenders don’t pull from all three on every application, so an unfrozen file is enough for a fraudulent application to clear.
Freezes are also meant to be lifted. The FTC says online requests take effect within a minute, and federal rules require phone requests within an hour. That’s useful when you’re applying for a card. It’s also a window if you forget to put the freeze back on.
A freeze is a point-in-time control and can’t watch your file the rest of the day.
Credit monitoring and identity theft protection services can monitor all three credit bureaus continuously and send alerts within minutes of any new account or inquiry, whether your freeze is in place or lifted. They also scan the dark web and data broker listings for SSNs and other personal data, the raw material behind synthetic identity fraud.
A credit freeze blocks many new account attempts, while identity theft protection can monitor for activity and exposed personal information that a freeze may miss. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What to do beyond a credit freeze
A credit freeze is still worth having, but it works best when you pair it with protections that watch the places a freeze cannot see.
Turn on alerts for banks, credit cards and retirement accounts
Set up text, email or app alerts for withdrawals, new logins, password changes, address changes and large purchases. These alerts can help you spot account takeovers quickly, especially if a scammer already has access to one of your existing accounts.
Check your credit reports regularly
Review your credit reports for accounts, addresses, employers or inquiries you do not recognize. A credit freeze can help block many new applications, but your reports can still show warning signs that someone is trying to use your personal information.
Use strong passwords, a password manager and two-factor authentication
Create a unique password for every important account, especially email, banking, credit card, health insurance and retirement accounts. A password manager can create and store those passwords for you. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds another layer of protection, so a stolen password alone may not be enough for a scammer to get in.
Watch for tax and medical identity theft
A credit freeze will not stop someone from filing a tax return or insurance claim in your name. Watch for IRS notices, rejected tax filings, bills for medical care you never received or insurance explanations of benefits that do not match your records.
HOW SCAMMERS BUILD A PROFILE ON YOU USING DATA BROKERS
Limit how much personal information is online
Data broker listings can expose your address, phone number, relatives and other details scammers use to build more convincing attacks. Some identity theft protection services scan data broker listings and dark web sources for exposed personal information, including SSNs and other details criminals can use to build synthetic identities.
How a credit freeze and identity protection work together
After you add account alerts, stronger passwords and regular credit checks, identity protection can add another layer of monitoring. A freeze blocks new credit applications at the bureau level. Identity protection watches what does not pass through those checks.
Many identity theft protection services monitor the major credit bureaus and alert you to new accounts, inquiries or changes to your file. Some also scan dark web marketplaces and data broker listings for exposed personal information, including SSNs and other details criminals can use to build synthetic identities. If fraud appears, some plans include fraud resolution support and identity theft insurance to help with eligible recovery costs.
No service can prevent every form of identity theft. A freeze and identity protection together cover what neither does on its own.
How to check if your personal information was exposed
If you are unsure whether criminals have already exposed your information, take action now. Start with a free identity breach scan to see whether your data appears in known leaks. Early detection gives you more control and helps you respond before fraud spreads. Check whether your personal information is already being used for identity theft, fraud or appearing on the dark web. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at CyberGuy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
A credit freeze is one of the smartest moves you can make after a breach or identity theft scare. It can block many new credit applications opened in your name, but it does not protect every part of your financial life.
The biggest gap is synthetic identity fraud. Criminals can use a stolen Social Security number with a fake name or birthdate to build a new credit file that your freeze never touches. Account takeovers, tax refund fraud, medical identity theft and 401(k) scams can also happen without a credit bureau pull.
That is why a freeze should be your first layer, not your only layer. Keep freezes active at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Then add alerts, account monitoring, strong passwords, two-factor authentication (2FA) and identity protection that can spot activity outside your frozen credit file.
Have you ever had a credit freeze in place but still worried your identity was exposed? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Somehow, those are not his greatest contributions to the music world. That would, undoubtedly, be the MPC. Linn partnered with Akai to create one of the most popular and important samplers ever. The MPC60 and its successors became the tool of choice for countless hip-hop and house producers. J Dilla’s MPC 3000 even sits in the Smithsonian.
Roger Linn was also an early adopter of MPE, or MIDI polyphonic expression. It’s a key feature of his LinnStrument, an expressive 3D controller released in 2014 — three years before the Association of Musical Electronics Industry (AMEI) officially released the MPE standard. Turns out the man stays so innovative by keeping things simple and focused.
What is your most indispensable tool?
My MacBook Pro.
Which is the most underappreciated?
My Vision Pro. I called it the most amazing product I rarely use.
What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer?
On a computer, Rhino3D.
What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone?
Apple Mail’s bugs.
What sites do you have pinned to your tab bar?
New York Times.
How many tabs do you have open right now?
One. This document.
Which social media platform do you use the most (if any)?
I don’t use social media except to announce my monthly “All Things LinnStrument” email newsletter.
What is your happy place online?
A VR app for the Meta Quest called Walkabout Mini Golf. It was a large number of artistically created open VR worlds that offer a surprising level of beauty from the Quest 3’s limited power. I go there to play a game of mini golf, fly around, or meet friends in a private instance of a particular world.
What is your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned?
I don’t know about “ever”, but these days it’s VR headsets, currently the Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro.
Which was the most disappointing?
In general, I’m disappointed by products that are designed by engineers who assume their customers are engineers.
What game do you have the fondest memories of?
Myst.
Which tech trend do you wish would go away?
Spam.
What creation are you most proud of?
LinnStrument.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Keep it simple.
What is your current obsession?
VR.
What do you do when you need to focus?
Breathe. Calm down.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck?
I try to shift my perspective.
When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?
I never go anywhere without my phone. Maybe swimming.
What’s the last piece of physical media you bought?
That would be a long time ago. I’ve only bought books, music, films, etc. in digital form for a long time.
What do you think is worth splurging on?
If someone made a VR headset with retina resolution, very high power, lots of beautiful open worlds, but it was expensive, I’d probably buy it.
What would the tagline for your biopic be?
“He created tools that allowed musicians to make better music.”
What’s the last GIF or meme you used?
This isn’t a GIF, but maybe it’s a meme:
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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