"Thin affiliate" is a term of art, roughly meaning "a site which adds no user value, just taking one or more clicks to delay your task success." They've made a lot of people $$$ but Google hates them and they're competitively weak relative to other affiliate plays where there is a value add. (Mint is most obvious example that springs to mind at 5:30 AM.)

Don't worry, I almost always assume good faith on HN.