How to find out if Amazon thinks you have ‘flat buttocks’

Amazon’s account settings now include a “Your Shopping preferences” page that aggregates purchase data into a list of inferred traits. By navigating through the “Hello, [Name]” menu on desktop or the app’s hamburger icon, users can view statements such as “practices photography” or, in one viral case, “has flat buttocks”—the latter traced to the purchase of butt‑scrunch leggings. The revelation came from a Threads post by @fangirlinmegan, which quickly amassed over a million views, prompting other users to inspect their own profiles. TechCrunch senior writer Amanda Silberling reproduced the steps, highlighting both the accuracy of some inferences and the discomfort of others.

The episode illustrates how Amazon, like other tech giants, leverages machine‑learning to turn transactional histories into granular consumer personas. While the retailer has long used purchase signals to suggest products, the expansion into body‑shape descriptors signals a deeper foray into lifestyle profiling that rivals Google’s ad‑interest categories and Meta’s “About you” summaries. This move aligns with Amazon’s broader strategy to tighten its ecosystem—linking shopping habits to its hardware (e.g., Alexa, Ring) and services (Prime Video, Music)—but it also intensifies scrutiny over data‑privacy practices in an era of heightened regulatory focus on algorithmic transparency.

The fallout could push Amazon to refine its disclosure mechanisms or introduce opt‑out controls for sensitive inferences. Regulators in the EU and several U.S. states have already signaled intent to curb invasive profiling, and a public backlash over “embarrassing” attributes may accelerate policy action. Watch for updates to the “Manage your information” portal, potential revisions to Amazon’s privacy notices, and any legal challenges that cite the platform’s ability to infer personal characteristics without explicit consent. Companies that rely on similar profiling will likely face comparable pressure to balance personalization with user dignity.