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Oh boy. I can see it now: By accepting this offer, you agree that Amazon has the right to collect anonymized web traffic data. This helps us improve your custo

by ctvo 3y ago

Oh boy. I can see it now: By accepting this offer, you agree that Amazon has the right to collect anonymized web traffic data. This helps us improve your customer experience and offer you more relevant product suggestions when you search on Amazon.com and other Amazon affiliated properties. Edit: More interestingly perhaps, this allows Amazon to bypass the tracking restrictions at the platform level (say enforced by Apple, and has harmed Facebook). Dropping to the network infrastructure level may make attribution and tracking on Amazon Advertising best in class across not just Amazon.com, but other properties? I don't know enough about the space so just musing, but I can't help feel this is a major development that's a bit more than Prime members now get more free stuff.

paxys 3y ago
All existing providers are doing exactly this. AT&T even has a plan where you can pay extra (something like $30/mo) to opt out of tracking.
xnx 3y ago
This has to be some of the expected value for Amazon, but I would still trust Amazon more than other carriers (Verizon, AT&T, etc.).
- ldelossa 3y ago
  Lol, I read this comment and immediately went "No way". Then thought about it for another second then agreed. Then thought about it for longer and said "No way again". Honestly, I'm stumped on this one haha, which is an interesting place to be, contemplating who's more evil.
  - influx 3y ago
    Ex Amazon employee here, Amazon has some of the best internal controls over user data of any company I’ve ever worked far bar none.
    - thrashh 3y ago
      These internal controls? https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/ftc-says-ring-employees-illegally-surveilled-customers-failed-stop-hackers-taking-control-users https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/...
      - belval 3y ago
        Amazon acquired Ring in 2018, the fine is for bad internal controls before 2018.
colmmacc 3y ago
I work at AWS so I'm not neutral here, but how would this even work? Now that web and app traffic is encrypted, mobile providers can "see" what websites and app you access via your DNS lookups and destination IPs, and only some of the time, but that's about it. It doesn't get to the level of specific product purchases or much that you could put into a recommendation engine.
- bushbaba 3y ago
  dns over https (DoH) prevents the carrier from inspecting DNS lookup. IPv6 could also prevent the carrier from easily reporting what the destination is. By service provider cycling through IPs. There’s also iCloud private relay that blocks this as well.
  - sciencesama 3y ago
    Only if every one implemented them !!
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- toast0 3y ago
  It's a fine level when it comes to mergers and aquisitions though. Look into what Facebook did with Onavo.
shmatt 3y ago
Seeing as how all ISPs and mobile service providers already do all that and more, It really doesn't mean much to me if its AT&T or Amazon doing the tracking AT&T is selling your phone calls and text messages to marketers, how to opt out https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24756042 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24756042
wintermutestwin 3y ago
My home ISP can steal my data too - that's why I only use it with a VPN.
gsatic 3y ago
Man all that data is over rated and worthless. Monitoring ppl 24x7 is like keeping tabs on your cat 24x7. Nothing that interesting is going on. That doesn't mean the data isn't over priced and over sold to schmucks. But that game has been going on for so long everyone playing the games knows how useless the data is.
- klyrs 3y ago
  Keeping tabs on a cat 24/7 is what makes life worth living. I agree that people are overrated though
- jvalencia 3y ago
  For advertisers it isn't. Signals for purchasing that could be had for cheap are extremely valuable. Especially if they're reliable. If Amazon could get me a qualified lead for the half the price of Google Ads, that would be a game changer.

by ctvo 3y ago

paxys 3y ago

All existing providers are doing exactly this. AT&T even has a plan where you can pay extra (something like $30/mo) to opt out of tracking.

xnx 3y ago

This has to be some of the expected value for Amazon, but I would still trust Amazon more than other carriers (Verizon, AT&T, etc.).

ldelossa 3y ago
Lol, I read this comment and immediately went "No way". Then thought about it for another second then agreed. Then thought about it for longer and said "No way again". Honestly, I'm stumped on this one haha, which is an interesting place to be, contemplating who's more evil.
- influx 3y ago
  Ex Amazon employee here, Amazon has some of the best internal controls over user data of any company I’ve ever worked far bar none.
  - thrashh 3y ago
    These internal controls? https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/ftc-says-ring-employees-illegally-surveilled-customers-failed-stop-hackers-taking-control-users https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/...
    - belval 3y ago
      Amazon acquired Ring in 2018, the fine is for bad internal controls before 2018.

colmmacc 3y ago

I work at AWS so I'm not neutral here, but how would this even work? Now that web and app traffic is encrypted, mobile providers can "see" what websites and app you access via your DNS lookups and destination IPs, and only some of the time, but that's about it. It doesn't get to the level of specific product purchases or much that you could put into a recommendation engine.

bushbaba 3y ago
dns over https (DoH) prevents the carrier from inspecting DNS lookup. IPv6 could also prevent the carrier from easily reporting what the destination is. By service provider cycling through IPs. There’s also iCloud private relay that blocks this as well.
- sciencesama 3y ago
  Only if every one implemented them !!
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
toast0 3y ago
It's a fine level when it comes to mergers and aquisitions though. Look into what Facebook did with Onavo.

shmatt 3y ago

Seeing as how all ISPs and mobile service providers already do all that and more, It really doesn't mean much to me if its AT&T or Amazon doing the tracking AT&T is selling your phone calls and text messages to marketers, how to opt out https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24756042 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24756042

wintermutestwin 3y ago

My home ISP can steal my data too - that's why I only use it with a VPN.

gsatic 3y ago

Man all that data is over rated and worthless. Monitoring ppl 24x7 is like keeping tabs on your cat 24x7. Nothing that interesting is going on. That doesn't mean the data isn't over priced and over sold to schmucks. But that game has been going on for so long everyone playing the games knows how useless the data is.

klyrs 3y ago
Keeping tabs on a cat 24/7 is what makes life worth living. I agree that people are overrated though
jvalencia 3y ago
For advertisers it isn't. Signals for purchasing that could be had for cheap are extremely valuable. Especially if they're reliable. If Amazon could get me a qualified lead for the half the price of Google Ads, that would be a game changer.