To view amazon in a totally different light - RE-Panarama

[contentedsoul]

Saw the panorama program about amazon last night and its been on my mind all day.

I noted that the BBC News app on my phone also ran a story about this too - so been reading that in break times.

It actually sounds terrifying. As someone so eloquently put it
"Amazon is first and foremost a Data Mining company,,that also happens to sell items too !!

Some senior bigwig stated that ""we" that's us, fall into three areas Lazy, Greedy and Horny. It transpires we are not customers par se but more commodities to them.

I'm actually in two minds to remove the amazon app from my phone...I just don't trust it.

The BBC reporter asked for a record of his data and was told his computer wasn't sufficient enough to store it !!

I just never realised that amazon knew so much about us.

[BlueHarry]

But my dp gets at least 4 deliveries from Amazon a week.

[Gadgnkk]

I am not sure what amazon would do with their data on me. I buy loads off there, mainly stuff for kids. I’ve just looked at my recent orders. Textbooks that school don’t seem to provide, books for us all to read, dog supplies, hairbrush, boxsets (electronic versions), pens, cleaning supplies and audio books. It’s not very interesting! I don’t really see what they’d do with it. Headhunt me to be chief servant? I don’t think I fall into any of their categories based on the above purchases. They are quite welcome to the info they have on me in return for delivering stuff I need quickly.

[youkiddingme]

What makes me laugh is the more they target ads at me the worse they get. I have genuinely never seen a single one that has anything I want to buy. Sometimes it is for something I have already bought, that I would definitely not want a second one of like say a cooker. Mostly it's totally irrelevant, due to me clicking on something for reasons totally unrelated to what I actually buy. I don't think my buying choices fall into lazy, greedy or horny either. (I make way more things than I buy and don't do instant food or fancy gadgets, I'm fairly frugal, and post-menopausal and past it lol). I spend money on creative stuff mostly but never get targeted with the things I buy. I also shop at different supermarkets most weeks as none of them actually sell all the things I want.

[Gyre]

It's not new. If you look at all your outgoing data traffic (There are apps that itemise and ask you individually to consent or whitelist).. you might, as I did, see relentless requests to make a connection to an Amazon server and I didn't have the Amazon app or shop on my phone.
I hate Amazon but until an alternative shows up, they can bring me my coffee filters and call me names.

[Lougle]

Have you seen The Circle? It's quite thought provoking.

I have a policy that I never share anything I wouldn't want the whole world to see. On the rare occasion I've overstepped, I have contacted MNHQ and asked them to retract my post. I don't name change because I don't need to.

[MissGuernsey]

I rarely shop online. Much prefer to visit shops. The last item I bought was from the Body Shop and I picked it up in store.

Amazon treat their workers in distribution centres like donkeys. Same with ASOS. Saw an article in the Evening Standard about the ASOS office in London. Lots of perks such as free coffee, fruit etc. None of the workers looked older than twelve. Beanbags for the snowflakes to recline on. Contrast that with the conditions the workers have to endure in their distribution centre near Barnsley.

Anybody who shops with Amazon has no empathy for the workers in their distribution centres. Mumsnet usually criticises men who pay prostitutes but I think shopping at Amazon is no worse. Still exploitation.

[contentedsoul]

Yes, seen the circle (tom hanks) thought provoking.

[schafernaker]

Just watching it now and have had to turn Alexa off 😂

[AlwaysInTroubleAgain]

Ultimately they use telemetry to optimise consumption. It’s not really that different from a cheerful shop keeper noting down that people buy more pegs when it’s clothes drying weather.

Just on a much, much, much bigger scale.

[JaceLancs]

I try not to sign up for stuff eg loyalty cards unless it benefits me more than them!
Right now only ad pop up on MN for me is Ford cars and service
I have never owned a ford - never will - and don’t use garages as DP is a mechanic - no idea where that ad came from but it missed its target by a mile

[contentedsoul]

So, Forgive my ignorance, is there a way to minimise what can be taken>
Before going to the amazon app, if a deleted my history and cookies then after browsing repeated again, would that achieve anything? BTW I do this everytime I use online banking...I'm paranoid If I lost my phone some hacker would find a way to open and see my banking details.

I really don't like the idea that I'm regarded as "game" to them.
I read that amazon can see which sites you visited before and where you go after...spooky!!

[AutumnRose1]

Butterer “ I was shocked when I found out applying for legal aid meant I had to consent to sharing my data with Amazon Web Service.”

That surprised me, how does that work please?

[TheDarkPassenger]

This is not something that worries me. I’m very dull.

My job requires my employer to know every fart I’ve ever had anyway so I’m pretty much out there anyway

[AutumnRose1]

“ My job requires my employer to know every fart I’ve ever had anyway so I’m pretty much out there anyway”

Doesn’t sound like a dull job....

[Toomuchtrouble4me]

I don't really care - they can have my data.

[AutumnRose1]

Butterer, thank you. Weird!

[theendoftheendoftheend]

I am completely distracted by trying to work out which category I fall into, definitely not horny so am I lazy or greedy? I need to know!

[SammySmyth]

Each to their own but it still baffles me why people have devices such as Alexia in their homes.

People in the 70s: The government will wire tap your phone if they want to spy on you.

People Now: Hey, wire tap, what's a good recipe for pancakes?

:)

[theendoftheendoftheend]

It's all a bit Mr Men ish isn't it. I would quite like to be a Mr Greedy and Mr Lazy hybrid. Mr Horney has never featured in any of our bedtime stories so no loss there.

[theendoftheendoftheend]

I have an Alexa, it got unplugged and I haven't gotten around to plugging it back in

[AutumnRose1]

“ Mr Horney has never featured in any of our bedtime stories so no loss there.”

I’m sure Amazon can get you a copy tomorrow.

[theendoftheendoftheend]

Well, I do have Prime, might as well make the most of it.

Would love to know how that story pans out

[davies308]

This is why I'll never buy an Alexa and have Siri turned off on my phone. Some things you have to suck up otherwise you'd never be able to purchase anything on the internet but I do draw the line at devices listening to every conversation I have.