Are algorithms getting dumber? Maybe we don’t need to worry about them so much, after all.

Seriously, Amazon’s recommendations have gotten worse over the years. Why are you trying to sell me another phone nearly identical to the one I just bought? Really? Why do you try to sell me — on Facebook! — the same phone I just bought. Really? You know I already bought it! And Facebook recommends “friends” with whom I have no known connection. They must be desperate!