If the algorithm doesn't recommend this https://images.app.goo.gl/1zagZytE8fhBr2686 then it's time to burn down the internet.

I didn't realise that the hat I encountered was so bad as to have been memed. I wish it was this version, rather than the unironic version, which had been advertised to me.

I've seen various memed or parodied versions of that. even in furry art.

Oh yes, it's definitely been memed https://images.app.goo.gl/7wmcx5h8TGix5HwT9

Oh no

Omg this gave me a much needed laugh this morning, that's amazing LOL. I watched a bit of YuruCamp and it is so peaceful, it got me hooked on watching solo camping YouTube videos too.

I haven't gone down a youtube rabbit hole with any of the anime I've watched because no real people are as sweet and wholesome as the anime characters. Thankfully there's plenty more wholesome anime for me to consume before I ever need to worry about trying to enjoy the activities of actual tangible people.

Hahaha, I feel that!!!

This has been a hell for some time now. Some of the things I have been served with by this dystopian system have been truly appalling.

I do everything I can to avoid surveillance capitalism, and yet it still leaks through. This is the life we live.

Haha, I do my very best to avoid all the trappings of capitalism wherever possible, surveillance or otherwise. As you say, the unfortunate truth is that it's just part of life these days.

It's the same with me. If I ever decide to go to a new restaurant, suddenly, I'll get multiple ads for that same restaurant for a while. :P

Me: * thinks about dominos *

Youtube mobile ads: HEY HAVE YOU BEEN TO DOMINOS LATELY??

Me: THE NEAREST ONE TO ME IS 60 MILES AWAY

This is why I always use incognito for any random searches. Don't know how well it detaches from the algorithm, but I don't get as many random adds from curious searching

I think I should have clarified that I was specifically searching on amazon, and that's where I saw the ad. I definitely don't throw random searches into google, and adblock stops me seeing most random internet adverts anyway. Though the recent death of the youtubeVanced app means I'm now subjected to youtube adverts whenever I try to use it on my phone.

I use incognito for everything. Even that's no guarantee.

I my ad blocker.

Adblock plus saves me from a tonne of stuff, but I don't think it blocks adverts on amazon itself since, y'know, the whole site is inherently adverts. (And yes, amazon sucks and I try to avoid using it whenever possible, unfortunately given the rural location I live in sometimes it's the only affordable option to get stuff dispatched as smaller/independent businesses either don't deliver to areas they consider the Scottish highlands, or they charge postage double what the actual item you're trying to buy is. XD)

Well, there's your problem right there. Never use Amazon for anything.

(Admittedly, although I never buy anything through Amazon, I do end up on there for various reasons from time to time)

As I said in the comment above, I only use it as a last resort when my location makes it impossible to acquire necessities any other way (or to browse things generally without any intention of buying, as was the case with the camping chair). I live in a small rural village, I don't drive and I live a purposefully low cost, low impact (and indeed low income, lmao, I live on a yearly income which is less than a third the UK average) lifestyle. So, while I do my best to shop locally or support small/independent businesses, there are times when my location, costs and transport options make a service like amazon the 'only' option available. I know how much it sucks as a company in how it treats its employees/contractors, how it tanks other competing businesses and how generally billionaire owners/shareholders are scum. So, while I appreciate and understand the advice, I am already fully aware of the need to minimise its use, and how much it sucks that occasionally I am required to use it.

I'm in a position where I have alternatives. Not everyone is, of course.

You might want to consider uBlock Orgin instead of AdBlock Plus, it's got much better performance and less questionable developers

I admit I know absolutely nothing about adblock's devs, but I'll definitely check out ublock as an alternative. Always good to have options! :)

A while back, I mentioned to my wife that we could make our own black garlic if we had a sous vide cooker. Next day, I was served an ad for a sous vide cooker. Here's the kicker: we were speaking in person.

Facebook: "No, our app doessssn't eavessssdrop, we promisssssse..."

Yoooo, I dont even have apps on my phone- and I get crazy stuff like this happening to me, too!
I hate it, grerghghf.

Oh sweet jesus. D: Also yummmm black garlic. <3

They know us better than we know ourselves. They probably anticipated your conversation.

... do you not use uBlock and Adblock plus? dude, get yourself a proper adblocker stats. (no really. I literally had never seen a youtube ad until I was forced to watch it on a smart tv at work two years ago XD)

I use adblock plus, yeah. It removes adverts from websites, but if you're on amazon 'ads' is all that the website is until you actively search for something, lmao, so I don't think adblock does anything to it.

ah. I think I would find it amusing. Fucking with the algorithms should be a national past time.

This is probably the best second use of incognito mode. If you're curious of such things since most of those sorts of data come from cookies.

My favourite (least favourite ever) thing about cookies is how if you accept cookies, they just take it as your final answer, but if you don't accept cookies they make you choose that you don't except cookies EVERY SINGLE TIME like "Oh, maybe this time you want them??"

I am wondering if this is because they do not save a cookie to the browser saying you have chosen no cookies.

Quite possibly, but it also just feels like a deliberate inconvenience to make you eventually want to stop spending time clicking that button each time you visit a site.

This is the worst! I looked up soap making kits ONCE for a party favor idea that never came to be. I STILL get ads about it 7 years later

Many years ago I ordered a bra for a bra-wearing housemate because I had an account with the online store they were going to use and they didn't, and I got lingerie adverts for years after. :c

Even Android Auto has the annoying algorithm.
I visited a race course a couple of months ago as it was the venue for a dog show I was exhibiting at - and now EVERY DAMN TIME I start up Android Auto in the car "Trentham Racecourse" keeps coming up as a destination.

NO I DON'T WANT TO GO TO TRENTHAM FECKIN' RACECOURSE AGAIN, YOU STUPID FECKIN' MACHINE! FECK OFF WITH THE RACECOURSE ALREADY!

The joy of not driving is that I've never had to deal with a nav system.

Yes...this sort of thing sucks ass.