6 ms·

Sounds noble but if google are at the helm then that's the opposite of what I want. I'm not Amazons biggest fan but Google are the last people on earth I'd wan

Sounds noble but if google are at the helm then that's the opposite of what I want. I'm not Amazons biggest fan but Google are the last people on earth I'd want to have my purchase history. Yeah they look all corporate good with their no commission / seller first attitude but it's just another data harvesting excersize & I'd rather not buy at all than buy through Google for 'free'.

surbas 6y ago
If you use google for email they already have your order history...
- esrauch 6y ago
  I noticed Amazon has stopped informing you what you actually purchased in their confirmation emails (though the emails still have other purchase suggestions in them). I'm guessing that might be partially to prevent the info from being conveyed to Google in Gmail.
  - three_seagrass 6y ago
    I can almost guarantee it's to get you to click back into the store for re-engagement.
    - Hokusai 6y ago
      > I can almost guarantee it's to get you to click back into the store for re-engagement. Yes. I saw that while in China. I would get push notifications from Gmail and I was able to know what was the mail about without access to Gmail. But, for Facebook I would only get "You got a message". And that was totally unhelpful. Now, I knew that I had a message that I was not able to access too. Seriously infuriating.
    - Corrado 6y ago
      I think it can be for both giving less data to Google and to get you to re-engage at Amazon.
      - three_seagrass 6y ago
        Nope. Google hasn't been mining gmail emails since 2017.
- ravenstine 6y ago
  Precisely why I don't use Gmail. I know that most people I correspond with use Gmail, so it's somewhat pointless, but at least my use of Protonmail adds some friction to the system when I use it for buying stuff.
  - mark_l_watson 6y ago
    I feel the same way. I am happy to do little things to push back on surveillance capitalism. Of topic, but the ProtonMail service just keeps getting better and better. I just tried Hey email for about 5 days, really liked the pretty UI, but it felt good to switch back to ProtonMail.
- millstone 6y ago
  Which is why Amazon has stopped including your order contents in the confirmation or shipment emails. What a stupid outcome.
- MaxBarraclough 6y ago
  Google promise not to scan your Gmail emails for ad purposes. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21918595 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21918595 , https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6603 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6603
- mark_l_watson 6y ago
  right on. I use ProtonMail but most of my email is with people who are on gmail. Oh well. I know it would be very niche but it would be interesting to see an online store built around Signal, or something similar (assuming a proper privacy policy on not monetizing your data).
gowld 6y ago
Almost everyone sells your purchase history to everyone, including to Google.
- TYPE_FASTER 6y ago
  Yes. Unless you pay in person with cash, your purchase data will be brokered.
  - AnthonyMouse 6y ago
    I still want a way to pay with "cash" over the internet, e.g. a prepaid card which I can buy with cash and isn't tied to any person's name or address.
    - Tempest1981 6y ago
      That would be cool for donations too. I often would like to compensate software devs or content creators, but I hate having to create an account and/or share credit card info. I think someone mentioned "burner" cards a while back.
      - jiggunjer 6y ago
        Visa and Mastercard have prepaid anonymous debitcards. Then there's cryptocurrencies...
      - nausher81 6y ago
        Privacy.com the App. Let's you do this with burner cards.
    - csunbird 6y ago
      But you still need stuff to be delivered, which means they have your name and address, along with contact information, which can be used to match your purchase history,
- glaucon 6y ago
  If I was Amazon I wouldn't be selling purchase history to Google. Why would I ? I have no need of the money and Google is one of the few entities that present a visible threat to my well being.

surbas 6y ago

If you use google for email they already have your order history...

esrauch 6y ago
I noticed Amazon has stopped informing you what you actually purchased in their confirmation emails (though the emails still have other purchase suggestions in them). I'm guessing that might be partially to prevent the info from being conveyed to Google in Gmail.
- three_seagrass 6y ago
  I can almost guarantee it's to get you to click back into the store for re-engagement.
  - Hokusai 6y ago
    > I can almost guarantee it's to get you to click back into the store for re-engagement. Yes. I saw that while in China. I would get push notifications from Gmail and I was able to know what was the mail about without access to Gmail. But, for Facebook I would only get "You got a message". And that was totally unhelpful. Now, I knew that I had a message that I was not able to access too. Seriously infuriating.
  - Corrado 6y ago
    I think it can be for both giving less data to Google and to get you to re-engage at Amazon.
    - three_seagrass 6y ago
      Nope. Google hasn't been mining gmail emails since 2017.
ravenstine 6y ago
Precisely why I don't use Gmail. I know that most people I correspond with use Gmail, so it's somewhat pointless, but at least my use of Protonmail adds some friction to the system when I use it for buying stuff.
- mark_l_watson 6y ago
  I feel the same way. I am happy to do little things to push back on surveillance capitalism. Of topic, but the ProtonMail service just keeps getting better and better. I just tried Hey email for about 5 days, really liked the pretty UI, but it felt good to switch back to ProtonMail.
millstone 6y ago
Which is why Amazon has stopped including your order contents in the confirmation or shipment emails. What a stupid outcome.
MaxBarraclough 6y ago
Google promise not to scan your Gmail emails for ad purposes. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21918595 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21918595 , https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6603 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6603
mark_l_watson 6y ago
right on. I use ProtonMail but most of my email is with people who are on gmail. Oh well. I know it would be very niche but it would be interesting to see an online store built around Signal, or something similar (assuming a proper privacy policy on not monetizing your data).

gowld 6y ago

Almost everyone sells your purchase history to everyone, including to Google.

TYPE_FASTER 6y ago
Yes. Unless you pay in person with cash, your purchase data will be brokered.
- AnthonyMouse 6y ago
  I still want a way to pay with "cash" over the internet, e.g. a prepaid card which I can buy with cash and isn't tied to any person's name or address.
  - Tempest1981 6y ago
    That would be cool for donations too. I often would like to compensate software devs or content creators, but I hate having to create an account and/or share credit card info. I think someone mentioned "burner" cards a while back.
    - jiggunjer 6y ago
      Visa and Mastercard have prepaid anonymous debitcards. Then there's cryptocurrencies...
    - nausher81 6y ago
      Privacy.com the App. Let's you do this with burner cards.
  - csunbird 6y ago
    But you still need stuff to be delivered, which means they have your name and address, along with contact information, which can be used to match your purchase history,
glaucon 6y ago
If I was Amazon I wouldn't be selling purchase history to Google. Why would I ? I have no need of the money and Google is one of the few entities that present a visible threat to my well being.