You know how Facebook wants you to friend people "you may know"?

[matt819]

People who you can't possibly identify as related to you in any way? And as much as you click on the "don't show me this," it keeps turning up?

Well, Amazon has its share of weird associations.

I was looking for a portable bluetooth keyboard, to wit, the Logitech K380. I could have added it to my cart, or I could check out "would these items work instead?" choices.

The choices? A Frigidaire coffee maker, a Frigidaire smoothie maker, or a Keurig coffee maker bundle pak.

Interesting alternatives. Kind of makes you wonder about them there algorithms.

[True Dough]

1. I know a matt631

And I think you'd be the best of buddies. Take my word!

[TwilightZone]

2. People you may know...

isn't quite as random as it might appear. It's based on having friends in common, being in the same groups, working at the same places, going to the same schools and/or people who've viewed your profile for whatever reason.

The most seemingly-random ones might be people who viewed your profile because of a particular post, but have no other connections.

[matt819]

6. I know

But it's still pretty funny when the connection is a friend of a friend of my daughter's boyfriend, or the cousin of a distant business contact friend of one of my kids.

[TwilightZone]

8. Yeah, there doesn't seem to be much of a limit on the number of links in the chain.

I think the profile one throws a lot of people. It seems odd to add those people to the list. On the bright side, one can tell who's stalking them. haha

[csziggy]

15. Facebook keeps offering me "People you may know" from all over the world

I don't travel much and don't have very many friends so it isn't likely I could possibly know those people.

I do know where Facebook infers that I might know them - I suspect some of them may know my niece who is a world traveler and does international refugee work. The selection of people that Facebook offers me could easily be friends of hers.

I'll stick with just my three Facebook friends - my husband, my sister. and my niece since I don't use Facebook for social interaction.

[leftieNanner]

3. But are they Bluetooth Coffee Makers??

I think Amazon just wants to make sure you are fully awake when you hop on that keyboard. Don't want to type anything naughty.

Amirite??

[AmyStrange]

12. +100000000000000000000000000000000 x 2

-

"Everybody loves blue tooth!"

From the Big Bang Theory

amirite?
============

[leftieNanner]

13. LOL

I've been watching Big Bang Theory reruns lately. Always good for a laugh!

[surrealAmerican]

4. Amazon keeps records of previous searches too.

Maybe you searched for some sort of kitchen gadget a few months ago?

[matt819]

7. Guilty

And that's fine. Sometimes I even buy stuff like that. But recommending a coffee maker when I'm looking for a keyboard?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. I simply pay no attention to those things.

And when I do get a friend request from some long-ago friend, I've learned to take a quick look at their FB page before I accept.

[AmyStrange]

9. I was looking for cozy mystery books, and...

-

one of the recommendations was How to Kill people and Get Away with It:

https://www.amazon.com/SELLER-SOMEONE-Famous-Defense-two-act-ebook/dp/B006M41FV6


Algorithms are steps in a code, not the actual code, but I digress.
=============

[halfulglas]

10. Yep. I was looking for little hand air blow thing to gently spray insecticide powder.

One of the things that came up in my choices was a full size leaf blower. Not helpful at all. Also, yeah, they keep track of previous searches, but when you've already bought the product (from them) they keep sending you emails in things that might interest you of the same thing, just a different model or maker of the same thing. Doesn't their algorithm get that you probably don't need the same thing for a long time? Or Groupon, how many oil changes can one car need when you've already used the one you bought?

[3catwoman3]

11. I want a choice that says...

...”Who the hell are you?

[abqtommy]

14. K&R