> why do they need a great recommendation engine? That is a great question. For me personally, that's not a great recommendation engine, I feel like that could

> why do they need a great recommendation engine? That is a great question. For me personally, that's not a great recommendation engine, I feel like that could be replaced by a better history view. But maybe that's just me, if you like that system, then I guess it's working for you. However, in asking that question, you've now circled right around to making the article's point again: > My complaint is that none of the above had anything to do with hoarding my personal information. > Amazon shows a box that suggests I might want to re-buy certain kinds of consumable products that I've bought in the past. This is useful too, and requires no profiling other than remembering the transactions we've had with each other in the past, which they kinda have to do anyway. And again, everybody wins. So, your question is good. Why do they need a super-detailed recommendation engine if what they have works? If it genuinely does work for you, then I guess they don't! And the obvious follow-up question is, why do they need to track anything beyond what movies you've watched in order to make that system work? Why does Netflix need to obsessively track when you pause, which scenes you skip, how long you mouse over a movie recommendation -- if ultimately, the best recommendation engine they have, and the one you're happiest with has nothing to do with that information? From the article again: > You tracked me everywhere I go, logging it forever, begging for someone to steal your database, desperately fearing that some new EU privacy regulation might destroy your business... for this?