The difference between Amazon and eBay’s “recommended for you” algorithms is probably rather subtle for most people, but I have come to spot a very big difference for myself personally.
I am a big fan of nude and/or erotic photography. The human body is a remarkable thing, and there are a lot of brilliant photographers who achieve incredible art inspired by, and with it. It was something I didn’t really explore much of with any depth for most of my life; just this year, I got out of a very unhealthily controlling relationship, one that had made up my entire adult life to that point, and I have no doubt that partner would have taken that interest, unnecessarily, as a point of insecurity, and based on behaviors leveled at me as things got irrevocably rough this year, lashed out accordingly. Prior to that, I had grown up in a protestant household, so doubly there looking at depictions of skin would have been frowned upon, to say the least. So this was an interest that stayed boxed away for a very long time.
Perhaps, nay, likely in response to this, I’ve swung the opposite direction with newfound freedom to explore. So many books; collections and instructions covering a wide range of photographers and styles and how-tos. Lessers known and the greats; Ellen von Unwerth in particular has such ASTOUNDING art. Women and (often tragically underrepresented) Men in many shapes and forms. I’ve even shot a couple self-shoots (not currently looking to publish, though I know a local zine that raises money for a good cause I’d be willing to submit a couple pics to on their next volume). I will probably want to shoot with actual others, too, at some point.
The sudden, higher frequency of these purchases should, in theory, see The Corporations trying hard to capitalize on that. This dude’s spending this money, LET’S GET HIM TO SPEND MORE!
Of course, capitalism has a weird relationship with “traditional” conservatism, such as whether to veer puritanical in the face of Christian Nationalism’s demands to censor what it deems “degenerate” or whether to ignore that to sell anything to keep (attempting to) grow profit infinitely (which doesn’t work in a finite economy, but hey, when has that ever stopped capitalists).
Amazon, already having such a heavy grip over most everything, is playing it safe. An algorithm too eager to share something as SCANDALOUS as representations of a human butt could really risk being the next talking point in the right-wing culture war (be it for five minutes or indefinitely, who knows) Since they have to keep their followers distracted with OUTRAGE, they would be willing and able to do some negative press that could impact Amazon’s bottom line. So Amazon’s “for you recommendations” don’t dare touch it. If you want these things on Amazon, you have to explicitly look.
Then there’s eBay. eBay don’t give a FUCK. I bought a few books of nude art? BAM! Recommended a book of women pissing. Not what I was ever looking for, not what was in my art books. And hey, who knows, maybe it’s artfully done. I don’t care if someone wants to photograph it, then sell it, and it does not bother me if people want to buy it and pour over it (pun… acknowledged). Not what I was looking for, eBay. You missed the mark a bit there.
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