Phia, the shopping app co-founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, has been accused of “cookie stuffing” — a practice that allowed the startup to claim commissions on purchases it did not generate — according to a Bloomberg investigation published in July 2026.
The accusations led to Phia’s suspension from Impact.com, a leading affiliate and influencer marketing platform. The Bloomberg investigation, along with findings from an independent consultant and a competitor, found that Phia’s browser extension would open a hidden background tab when a user visited an online retailer — even if that user arrived at the site independently or through another affiliate program such as Wirecutter. During checkout, Phia would override existing referral codes and inject its own, allowing it to take credit for — and potentially receive a commission on — sales it had no part in driving.
Phia was founded in 2025 by Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill Gates, and Sophia Kianni. The app functions similarly to Google Flights but for retail shopping, helping users find the lowest prices and discount codes across multiple retailers. The company earns revenue through affiliate marketing commissions. Phia has raised more than $40 million in funding, with investors including Khloé Kardashian and Hailey Bieber.
After Bloomberg flagged the issue to the company, a Phia spokesperson said all necessary changes had been made. A subsequent check by Bloomberg confirmed the behavior had stopped. Whether that fix will satisfy the retailers and affiliate partners that work with Phia remains unclear.
Cookie stuffing has drawn legal scrutiny in the industry before. Honey, the browser extension owned by PayPal, is currently the subject of an ongoing class action lawsuit over similar allegations. Phia did not respond to a request for comment from TechCrunch.
Source: TechCrunch