WEBVTT

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[SNAP]

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[MUSIC PLAYING]

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Nice sneakers, Thomas.

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Oh, thanks, man.

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You know, I've been looking
for a pair of sneakers

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myself online.

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Oh, really?

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Well, you're not going
to find these online.

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They're limited edition.

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Oh, sorry.

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[LAUGHS] Let me
get a tissue here.

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Thomas, what's this?

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Looks like a targeted
ad, but I've never

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seen one in a tissue box before.

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You know, I deal with this
stuff a lot in my work

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here at Consumer Reports.

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Didn't you say you were
looking at shoes online?

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I was.

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So what exactly
is a targeted ad?

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Well, they're not like the ads
you might see on a billboard

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or hear on the
radio where everyone

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sees the same thing, right?

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Uh-huh.

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Targeted ads are
sent directly to you.

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Sure, you might
appreciate targeted ads

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when you're in the market for
certain products or services.

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But they can be really annoying.

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When you're using the internet
or browsing on your phone

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or even using a
smart TV, companies

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are keeping track
of your behavior.

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And they use that information
to figure out what

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you might be interested in.

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And they take that,
and they combine it

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with data about who you interact
with, what stores you shop at,

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and they use that to
build ads that they think

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are more likely to
get you to click

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Wow.

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I guess I should be thanking
Thomas for explaining

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all of this to me.

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Should I be concerned
about my privacy?

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Well, if companies are keeping
track of your behavior,

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that means it isn't private.

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There's a lot of stuff
that you might not want

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to share with other people.

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Huh.

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I don't think I
like this at all.

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While the internet
has enabled us

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to shop, search, and share
without leaving our couch,

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it has left us vulnerable
to invasive advertising.

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And if you're like me,
every time an ad pops up,

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your blood pressure
pops up too, especially

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if they continue after you've
already made a purchase.

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Another targeted ad?

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What's a matter, Jack?

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Thomas, again-- targeted ads.

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What do I do to stop them?

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It can feel like they follow
you everywhere you go.

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Absolutely.

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There are a couple things
you can do to stop it.

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What's that?

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Well, the most
effective method is

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to use what's called
an ad blocker.

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Thomas told me that ad
blockers are usually

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browser extensions that look for
and block the common components

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of online ads.

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They also try to
prevent information

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from being gathered
about your location,

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browsing history,
and shopping history.

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But remember-- these ad
blockers aren't fool-proof.

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You could still be the
target of targeted ads.

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[INTERPOSING VOICES]

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Jack, are you OK?

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Thomas, you've got
to tell me exactly

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how to stop these targeted ads.

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It's driving me crazy.

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Yeah, I'm not surprised.

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But there are a couple
other things you can do.

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Yeah, what's that?

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Well, you want to start
with adjusting your privacy

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settings on social media and
the different apps and devices

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you use.

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Hm.

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You can even use a
browser that's designed

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to protect your privacy.

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There are a couple made by
smaller organizations that

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will do that.

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Hm.

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Then you could even try using
your browser's private browsing

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mode.

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That can make a difference
in preventing companies

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from tracking you.

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This is about how
you want to spend

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your time and money
and the ability

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to choose who you share
your information with

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and when you want to do it.

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Thanks a lot.

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Well, hopefully, you know,
you follow these tips,

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and we can get this whole
targeted ad situation

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under control.

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Yeah, I don't think I
want sneakers anymore.

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[SNAP]