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The Wiki Man

Why does Amazon think my friend is a kidnapper?

Online data reveals all kinds of things about us that we’d never say out loud. In some cases, best hope it’s wrong…

22 November 2014

9:00 AM

22 November 2014

9:00 AM

About four years ago, an irate father in Minneapolis walked into his local Target shop with a complaint. He wanted to know why they were sending his daughter, who was still at school, vouchers for baby clothes and cots. Were they trying to encourage her to get pregnant?

When they telephoned to apologise a few days later he was more diffident.

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Rory Sutherland is vice-chairman of Ogilvy Group UK.

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