Online Advertising: Crash Course Media Literacy #7

You're being watched. That sounded more sinister than I intended, but online, it's true. Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, Netflix... the list goes on and on. They're watching what you do, what you shop for, what you watch... all of it. And have you actually read the Terms of Service? In this episode of Crash Course Media Literacy, Jay talks about how Online Advertising works and why companies want to know everything you're looking at.
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Resources:
Reading the Privacy Policies You Encounter in a Year Would Take 76 Work Days www.theatlanti...
Children’s commercial media literacy: new evidence relevant to UK policy decisions regarding the GDPR blogs.lse.ac.uk...
Stanford researchers find students have trouble judging the credibility of information online ed.stanford.ed...
Let Consumers See What’s Happening www.nytimes.co...
We Were a Nielsen Family - Here’s What It Was Like www.vulture.com...
***
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Thanks to the following Patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever:
Mark Brouwer, Glenn Elliott, Justin Zingsheim, Jessica Wode, Eric Prestemon, Kathrin Benoit, Tom Trval, Jason Saslow, Nathan Taylor, Divonne Holmes à Court, Brian Thomas Gossett, Khaled El Shalakany, Indika Siriwardena, Robert Kunz, SR Foxley, Sam Ferguson, Yasenia Cruz, Eric Koslow, Caleb Weeks, Tim Curwick, Evren Türkmenoğlu, Alexander Tamas, D.A. Noe, Shawn Arnold, mark austin, Ruth Perez, Malcolm Callis, Ken Penttinen, Advait Shinde, Cody Carpenter, Annamaria Herrera, William McGraw, Bader AlGhamdi, Vaso, Melissa Briski, Joey Quek, Andrei Krishkevich, Rachel Bright, Alex S, Mayumi Maeda, Kathy & Tim Philip, Montather, Jirat, Eric Kitchen, Moritz Schmidt, Ian Dundore, Chris Peters, Sandra Aft, Steve Marshall
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[@epsereth]

"When something is free, you're the product." This is *such* a good series.

[@nemoimorris1970]

aggrocrow lhhn

[@nemoimorris1970]

Yyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[@nemoimorris1970]

You guy

[@nemoimorris1970]

Yyyyyyyy

[@johnemory7485]

Just wanted to point out that when something is free you're usually the product, not always. The open source community is a great example of an exception. Free software, you're not the product. I do recognize that under most circumstances, you're absolutely correct. Great series, it's been a good one!

[@brandoncash4461]

Perfect timing for the Congressional interview with Zuckerman going on right when this was uploaded.

[@alydipity]

Brandon Cash Lol right!

[@LuisSierra42]

yeah, right

[@urbanprecariat]

yup

[@MSpacer]

"senator, we run ads."

[@eaterdrinker000]

...and the KZbin headquarters shooting.

[@ryantwombly720]

All the episodes have been enlightening, but THIS should be required viewing for everyone. Well done.

[@pdreding]

"Be wary of anything that seems free?" But this video is free … AAAAAUGH!!

[@ZamanSiddiqui]

Patrick Reding This does have ads, so not free. But not all ads are bad. Ultimately, it depends on what sort of information you are willing to give away.

[@Pfhorrest]

"Having ads" ≠ "not free". I didn't have to pay to watch this. I also didn't have to watch the ads that were sent with it, because I've instructed my computer not to play them. The advertisers paid Google to send those ads along with this video, and Google shared some of that money with Crash Course, so the video was not free to the advertisers. But it was free to me, and to you, even if you watched the ads.

[@xerophyll]

it's kinda free because of Patreon donors?

[@icedragon769]

It's a product of charity. Complexly runs on patreon money and donations and grants from governments and big companies.

[@JulieDiana1992]

most youtube videos have ads so we pay for it by watching the ads. I think crash course has donors who donate money to keep it free. So you can thank them!

[@abdelalibarghout8987]

The best thing i loved about this episod is when something is free, you’re the product ❤️ Thank you so much

[@Pfhorrest]

So this video was free. Does that mean I'm your product, Jay?

[@dammuozz]

youtube's

[@harrypotteravenclaw]

Not his, but KZbin's (and by extension Google) , collecting data on every video you watch and how long you watch them for.

[@ecamiran4004]

It's also partially supported through Patreon donations

[@morezco]

not only google’s product but also a data point on Crash Course’s analytics dashboars on its audience

[@oasntet]

It's much worse. Google's cookies track you across the web in general. If you so much as _see_ a G+ share icon, Google knows you've been to that website. Same with Facebook's "Like" buttons and every other social media site's "share" button. You don't even need to have an account on those sites; they're happy to create a shadow profile of you to track where you go on the web and what you watch.

[@jsredrose]

This is such a well-done series. Thank you, Crash Course!

[@alexwyman8380]

**slowly puts on tin foil hat**

[@Pfhorrest]

Tinfoil hats are useless. Your brain isn't wifi-enabled. Get a tinfoil wallet instead to keep Them from reading the RFID chips in all your cards and such.

[@tjdriver7098]

I'D LIKE TO THANK MY MUM AND MY DAD FOR SUPPLYING MY INTERNET, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY BROTHER FOR SOMETHING, SHOUTOUT TO CRASH COURSE FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY

[@julieb6852]

Just had to watch this video for class and it was the first time I've watched a crash course video in years... who is this guy??

[@AppandaiRaj]

Hey Jey Smooth bro, Loves from India. We love your videos here.

[@johnnymitchellcollier]

When you said "Take a look around the video," I was confused. Then I realized that my Adblock was on and I couldn't see 'em.

[@Zedstergal]

Great video!! So important that people understand how their data is being used for commercial ends.

[@_rrwwcox]

Even if we all read all the terms of service, in many cases you must agree to the terms in order to be able to use the service. Given that these services are so valuable, users don't really have much power in what they agree to (i.e. we don't get to individually negotiate our terms with the company), the only real power comes from being very thoughtful about what we share and how we use the services. Media literacy education should include training on how what we share will be used and could be used against us and how to protect ourselves while still enjoying value these services afford.

[@hotdrippyglass]

I have had things follow me from store to store but my doctor gave some good drugs and that doesn't happen so much anymore.

[@TheLaly37]

I love this series. Keep making it

[@Sirake]

Nope, no ads here. KZbin red. I hate ads and love creators.

[@sanaarora3986]

I clicked on an ad on instagram the other day and the next day i got an ad from that same company on my tumblr, it definitely felt like the hat following you around example. ahhh the world we live in is scary

[@shaunaaaah]

I've read a few of the terms and service, for my bank and such, and there's the bigger problem than that people don't read them, even if people tried it's written in legal language so it's hard to understand. Targeted ads are creepy but I get a little less concerned when it slips up and I get an ad I don't usually get, like even though I'm a 27 year old woman I don't normally get baby ads. More often I wish I could just directly tell them things like how yes I spent a while reading a lot about Dutch ovens, I got one I'm not going to buy another, or that the flight I booked is to see family so I'm really not interested in hotels.

[@hargeongreen435]

Twitch has terms that pretty much say (If I recall correctly (Was a while ago)): We can use your voice. We can use your identity. And probably something about your looks too, but I don't remember anything mentioning that.

[@chadrowland5234]

Be very careful with advertising though. Especially the big one. Advertising near a school. Holey crap! No! You can not do that! There are laws in place that prohibit advertising near schools. And, if close enough to the building, the school can even press a charge against you for trespassing. And, causing friendship problems to replace someone's friendship with advertisements. Not can be considered disorderly conduct and disturbing public piece. That can land you in jail if the wrong person caught you. It is just a bad idea to replace someone's friendship with advertisements. I know this sounds crazy but unfortunately, it has happened before. This is where you meddle with someone's friendship and cause them problems and then go up to them and say, "Come into our store and buy! Buy! Buy!" I actually had a Big Lots that did this to my friendship with me and my adoptive sister and my mom came VERY CLOSE to pressing charges against Big Lots for doing this. Me and my adoptive sister had to go to peer mediation and the counselor recommended that we press charges against Big Lots because it was their fault. You can even cause the business that you are advertising to go under doing that. This behavior is another BIG reason why advertising is frowned upon. And, due to bad advertisers out there, advertising at a business has even been known to cause the business that you're advertising at to go under. Be careful with advertising.

[@maddy4893]

amazing how you explain everything, thanks a bunch.

[@Roll587]

Good timing

[@Alex2Buzz]

To clarify about how cookies work: A cookie is just a piece of data; it doesn't do anything directly. What it can do is indicate to websites that look for it that you've been somewhere else, or store a unique ID in your browser so ad networks can track you. Most browsers let you block "third-party" cookies, but blocking cookies from the websites you're directly accessing can and will break those sites.

[@vaibhavtripathi4951]

Coooool as always

[@FriedEgg101]

There are 2 theoretical ways to combat fingerprinting; make yourself look like a completely new user everytime you visit a website, which I don't think is possible, or make yourself look like every other user, which is what the tor browser does. You will still be fingerprinted but it will be harder to find unique identifiers about you if you look like every other tor user.

[@oasntet]

There are many browser addons to help combat fingerprinting. The main idea is to restrict 3rd-party tracking cookies or delete them frequently, or both. Ghostery, Privacy Badger, uMatrix, uBlock Origin, Cookie AutoDelete, etc. The best way to fight automated tracking technology is, sadly, automated anti-tracking technology.

[@PedroPereira-si3sy]

or use Tor browser, almost completely anonymous, i use it all the time for more sensitive work

[@vedantshinde6511]

Love you guys.Appreciate the effort.Thank you!!!

[@felix2341]

Martin Garix ft Khalid - Oceans has been haunting my up next these days. Sigh, remember See You Again by Charlie Puth and Wiz... Or Despacito, and how they LIVED in your up next lmao

[@SM-USA]

Awesome do some more video on this please

[@Tfin]

"Take a look around this video..." Well, I'm watching fullscreen, so I see the wall art, the books, and the mug. I can't identify the radio or lamp manufacturers, so they don't really work as ads. The book titles are partly concealed. I know the manufacturer of the figurine on the shelf, but I don't have a shelf for such things. I can't tell what that is next to the radio. Whatever the thing on the shelf next to the figurine is, I can't identify that either. The shirt might just as well be generic, and isn't even a pattern I'd choose to wear. Oh, there's a generic white table/desk as well that doesn't count as an ad. There's a "CC" bug in the corner, but I'm already subscribed and currently watching, so it's just wasting space and potentially distracting me from the content, as I already know this is a CrashCourse video.

[@lizannedsouza6725]

So good!

[@landofgrundo]

That was interesting but scary. I'll have to be more careful

[@rggLV]

as someone who advertises through facebook, this is true and the ways you can be targeted online is absolutely crazy

[@joyfulmomw]

love this

[@georgegaines2951]

Will there be related videos on this topic?

[@kaptenteo]

"Were the exception." :| Seriously good episode, though. I have Adblock and DoNotTrack and such, but I think I should disable cookies entirely. Or are cookies required for something else?

[@thanhhuyenvu2494]

LOL I've just started to get the use of Social Media and flaunt myself all over the place.

[@Xerxezkov]

You're gonna be a good product XD

[@ravenpotter3]

Those fidget spinners keep stalking me... like I can't run away

[@jameshoe1750]

Mark Zuckerberg: "Senators, you might wanna see this!"

[@singpolyma]

Hopefully next video covers basic tool like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger

[@biagioielli]

when you fit in the description "18-24 year old women with interest in science who live in Brazil" crazy scary

[@dinahguiritan9837]

nice video...

[@ItsJustMe0585]

You're awesome. :)

[@landofgrundo]

Do sites that say *by using our site you agree to our cookie usage* allowed? You just go on the site and before you even read it you've kind of accepted it

[@runekey]

Instagram sells your photos all the time- that's how the "discover" feature works, it totally blends the line of adaptive advertising and recommendation algorithms

[@gustavomorenomena2490]

I think you got a misconception about web cookies. I am a web developper and I know that "web cookies " can not be shared between sites. As you explained it, you made it sound as if you delete your cookies you will stop being followed but it is not the case. A big shunk of your data is stored in a server.

[@SirTonyClifton]

Gustavo Moreno Mena research the difference between first party and third party cookies, cross site cookie matching, and cross device identification :-)

[@DaDunge]

I got an add for online marketing on this vid on online advertisement.

[@corporate.security]

Just use an adblocker, I do on my phone and computer. Enable anti-tracking tech, doesnt always work, but it's better than nothing.

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Most browsers today allow you to enable VPN in the settings (Virtual Private Network), which will stop them from tracking you. Opera certainly has it.

[@oasntet]

That alone won't stop tracking. You'd need to reset the VPN and clear your cookies on every web page visit. If you log into KZbin and then browse the web on the same VPN session, KZbin (and therefore Google) will track you all over the web.

[@sofia.eris.bauhaus]

opera isn't open source, that alone should be a red flag. also opera software was sold to a chinese company, and rolled out it's free vpn almost immediately after that. a vpn is only an additional layer of indirection, and they can snoop or manipulate anything you isp could before. and relaying internet traffic isn't free, so you should ask yourself what they get out of it. i was once fell for a "free vpn" scheme in the torrent app Popcorn Time, and i had to pay 400 € to copyright bloodsuckers. since i used the vpn, it was really clear where they got that information.. (well, my isp must have cooperated as well, they had my address..) that doesn't mean a vpn you pay for is nessecarily safe, they are cerainly under pressure from governments..

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Yep, the world is plotting to get you. lol

[@sofia.eris.bauhaus]

ugh, yeah, of course..

[@MultiSciGeek]

Opera = "most browsers"

[@EVEspinosa79]

Sort of... but they do not give your info to the advertisers, they do their own data mining , and then show you the ads from the advertisers that best suits the profile.

[@therabbithat]

I hate tracking cookies but I wouldn't mind telling my browser some of my interests that it could share with websites so I'd get relevant ads. is this the future?

[@ran88dom99]

I use terms of service; didn't read plugin for firefox so I know how bad the TOS of my favorite sites is.

[@mollieguan9780]

Is there has text about this vedio?

[@sarahthompson6045]

As I just posted on the SciShow about smart security... TECHNOLOGY IS SCARY

[@xozeintk8093]

I Always Using Adblocker In My Browser And In My Phone I Rooted So I Don't See Ads In Mobile.

[@tanxyrogue847]

Bra.. I've been using youtube mainly for school these. I swear all my ads now say "You should take this online Udemy course, It's taught by expert...." I miss my old ads...

[@EvilTreeFrogs]

7 Episodes in and I have to ask. Does that lamp have eyes? am I out of my mind? I swear that lamp is staring at me.

[@DuranmanX]

I want a Cappy hat

[@deus_ex_machina_]

That's native advertising at work...

[@CrimsonTheFoxGod]

My girlfriend has been watching KZbin videos about lawn care, suddenly she gets mail addressed to her from lawn care companies. You are tracked far more closely than you might think.

[@missus_writeharper8072]

this man one hundred percent ships Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio IRL; no one makes a reference like that without it having some grain of truth

[@knewledge8626]

Until the government decides to regulate it, it's either live with it or do without.

[@qixxxz]

I hope you discus AdBlock software at some point.

[@oooo-mx5th]

Ambiguity is my weapon

[@quentinlynch]

Who else is looking forward to those "May Parties"?

[@shiny_x3]

Just install an ad blocker and learn to think for yourself.

[@tomgarden]

Someone make a website with the terms of service of different companies but paraphrased into quick bullet points. Then also leave it open for discussion at bottom.

[@springrollwang4441]

Many of the phone apps can use your camera and mic without your consent. When you do something unspeakable, they might be watching.

[@chillsahoy2640]

Okay but for some reason I keep getting ads for Muslim dating (I'm atheist with a broad interest in religion as a philosophical concept but that's it) and Thermo Fisher is obsessed with sending me ads and even though I do work in a lab, I have no say over which equipment we use. The one targeted ad that seems kind of accurate is the one about young people making a difference to the future: the Internet Cookies seem to have finally picked up on the fact that I'm a young person deeply frustrated with our current society and systems; but that particular ad just creeps me out, it looks and sounds too much like a cult of extremists! They also seem to have noticed that I enjoy playing video games, Overwatch in particular, which is why I often see ads for Overwatch...a video game which I have already bought... So...maybe targeted advertising still needs a bit of fine-tuning?

[@frankewanmale4067]

Wow!

[@regyoyobad4860]

All the videos under this was "RECOMMENDED FOR YOU"

[@MonteiroM]

This is getting crazy...

[@luciofernandes366]

Do an internet courseee

[@Iksbrown]

Ah, I see that you too were followed by the demon hat.

[@noahg5139]

wait were'd john go

[@7563able]

I enjoy having a VPN

[@andrei1637]

You know,many people are angry at the fact that they are "being watched" but I really don't mind,when I'm searching for something to buy,it's so much easier when they are showing me so many offers

[@ranimeRAT]

IZZI For adverts, sure, but social media and browsers then put you in bubbles where you receive information they *think* you want, and your perception of the world gets screwed by algorithms.

[@andrei1637]

If I were to make my perception of the world based on what I see on social media,I wouldn't deserve internet,and if you search for something you don't search just on one site.I really think those people are just stupid,internet is such a powerful tool for information and yet they are still kept in stupidness by themselves

[@ranimeRAT]

IZZI I kind of agree, but I know I've fallen victim to being caught in a bubble before. Everyone has biases to what they remember or look for.

[@springrollwang4441]

well, lots of phone apps can take photos of you without your permission and monitor you via mic. That's how they improve their services I guess.

[@echobless6556]

I wouldn't be surprised if these companies listen through your microphone and look through your camera.

[@loganpodojil8965]

Love the insta-ban-hammer

[@Bbaskin860]

Not enough Marshall McLuhan, the gawd damn father of media-ecology

[@notapianokey]

LOL! I have a Adblocker set in

[@ionah8205]

so nobody's going to point out Jay's weird obsession for Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio huh

[@connerfields4753]

Man, those apps that want "Network information " or location. ...

[@DubaiGuy08]

So online ads are like trolls and stalkers...

[@anderenaam3091]

Soccer? Ooh, you mean football

[@my15]

Scary

[@rooseveltsilver3753]

Ahh... am i too late to behave myself online?

[@mbevks]

Adblock everything! If you really support it, give it money.

[@lyrrr.8059]

Praise the lord for Adblock

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

This algerithom sure as hell doesn’t work on me, i’m 13 and i get adds for old men.

[@NeonsStyleHD]

The Terms of Service on the latest version of *_Skype_* says that if you agree to it, Microsoft can claim ownership of anything they want on your computer. So if you're working on a new idea, or invention or something you'd like to keep secret so you can take the opportunities of it, be a good idea to switch to Discord and uninstall Skype. Oh, then use Ccleaner to clean up all those little registry hooks that it has and remove it from your system.

[@TheAgamidaex]

Can you provide the quote for that? I skimmed the agreement but couldn't find it. That sounds pretty dystopian.

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Gleb Agamidae Do your own research and read the EULA. Nullius in Verba!

[@jjsmith706]

^^^In other words, no they can't provide the quote, because they're just passing on second hand information.

[@ravenpotter3]

I'm deleting skype on my computer... I've never used t anyway

[@Friek555]

I tried to find any evidence for that and I wasn't successful. Are you just inventing stuff? If not, please provide your source.

[@LuisSierra42]

I obfuscated all my info in facebook, HAHAHA, those suckers

[@attackLive]

You've just got Zucc't

[@Tokuijin]

I don't pay much mind to ads

[@neon55]

Instagram is owned by facebook. They would and probalby did!

[@ioan_jivan]

I'm learning web development and know this, but... creepy stuff :))

[@LetsTalkOnePiece]

4;07 luckily I don't wanna see any ads and thanks to adblocker on youtube I don't see them.

[@orenashkenazi9813]

KZbin apparently thinks I'm big on Listerine.

[@JulieDiana1992]

oh the whole facebook data for trump thing has me pissed

[@heatherback403]

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