I drove Linux Mint for a bit when I was trying to quit Windows. The only thing that made me go back was that, while I could install Steam, the game I was playing at the time (Destiny 2) wasn’t compatible with Linux — as in, I couldn’t even launch it. So I’d switch back and forth for a bit; Windows for gaming, Linux for everything else. But at the end of the day, I don’t want to have that extra layer of complexity in my life. I ended up just sticking with Windows. I will probably give Linux Mint or another distro a shot in the future, but for now I’m only on Windows.

cautiously lifts tinfoil hat off head

I can see the devices you use mattering. Where were you watching the videos? Do you have the Amazon app installed on the same device, or on a device with a microphone? My tin-foil hat theory is that the Amazon app is always listening from your phone, based on similar things happening to my wife.

If a kid’s got their parent’s credit card, I doubt they will bother with requesting a refund. They’ll just smash other ‘buy’ buttons until the game they want is downloaded. I’m sure some adults are like this, too…

Well that looks like a disaster waiting to happen

I was using AdGuard for some time, until it started giving me some trouble. VPN would randomly disconnect, I’d have to reboot my phone, etc. In all honesty, I probably wasn’t patient enough with it. I’ve been using 1Blocker for a bit, now, and it’s been treating me well.