Let’s be real: sometimes you open a site just to “have a look” ... and suddenly you’re twelve tabs deep in a skincare brand you’ve never heard of but suddenly desperately need. That wasn’t random. That was your digital shopping twin doing their thing.

You didn’t name them, but they know you, and they’ve been keeping receipts (literally). Every late-night scroll, every pair of shoes you hovered over but didn’t buy, every “wait, let me just compare prices” rabbit hole. They’re not just watching; they’re predicting. They know when you’re going through a post- breakup-glow-up, when you’re ready to try something new, when you’re in the mood to ”treat yourself” (which is never just one treat, let’s be honest).

And sure, personalization can be nice. Until it isn’t. Until your entire feed is variations of the same outfit. Until you’re seeing ads for something you talked about out loud. Until you’re in a feedback loop of taste you didn’t exactly choose.

Even the hype starts to feel suspicious. Flash sales with countdowns, “only 1 left!” popups that haunt you across apps, influencers hyping things they don’t even use. You might start wondering: is this really my taste?

Let’s make sure your style still belongs to you:

Browse outside the algorithm: Your feed wants you predictable. Browse like a wild card. Search for stuff that doesn’t make sense. Keep your taste untrackable.

Pause before you panic-buy: Urgency tactics are everywhere. “Only 2 left!” probably means there’s a warehouse full. Take a breath before you click.

Influencer ”experts”: Aesthetics is nice. But if someone’s pushing 8 products in one video, maybe don’t treat it like gospel. Check the tags.

Use private payment tools: No need to tell your card provider your whole personality. Use secure methods that don’t spill your secrets.

Clean up after yourself: Clear cookies. Block trackers. Erase your search history. Just like you’d delete the texts you wish you hadn’t sent.

Your taste is yours, let it evolve, clash, and surprise. Remember what you loved before anyone told you what to like.