1
00:00:01,150 --> 00:00:02,680
♪
2
00:00:02,690 --> 00:00:04,920
What's wrong with the internet?
3
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Adam, are you
downloading movies again?
4
00:00:06,690 --> 00:00:09,190
No, I'm downloading old public
domain encyclopedias.
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Why?
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Oh, I'm correcting them.
7
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The 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
is full of mistakes.
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Can you believe they
actually thought beriberi
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was caused by a fungus?
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A fungus.
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(chuckling)
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(sighs)
13
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Fine, I'll go to
the coffee shop.
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Thank you, kind sir.
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♪
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(electronic devices chirping,
chiming, ringing)
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Look at them.
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Addicted to their phones
like giant babies
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suckling on technology's teat.
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You ever notice how nobody
talks to each other anymore?
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We're all too busy staring
at the gadgets in our hands.
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We call these smart phones?
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But I call them dumb phones.
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Let's face it.
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The internet's destroying
society, sorry.
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I should tweet that.
27
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No, you shouldn't
and no, it isn't.
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Ahh!
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Oh, God, they're multiplying.
30
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(laughing)
I've seen your show.
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This is the guy who tells
people why things are bad.
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Nope, I'm the guy who tells
people why they're wrong.
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And you're wrong
about the internet.
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Mind if I borrow your
date for a second?
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Oh, I don't know him.
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I just forgot to put
my purse on the seat.
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Oh, great.
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Hi, I'm Adam Conover.
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And this is
"Adam Ruins Everything."
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♪
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Closed Captions Provided by
truTV
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I thought more of you, Adam.
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As a fellow free thinker,
I expected you to see
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that the internet is a murderer.
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Its victim? Society.
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Mitchell, that complaint
is literally as old
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as society itself.
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Every time technology advances,
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people say it's
the end of the world.
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After the telephone
was invented,
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newspapers worried
it was so addictive,
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we'd become "a race of
left-eared people."
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Watson, come here!
I need you.
54
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What, that is crazy though.
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But smart phones
are different.
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They're so invasive.
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Like, who needs constant
updates all the time?
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Well, people said the same thing
about another disturbingly fast,
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modern device, the telegraph.
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(beeping)
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Ah!
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But, Papa, this says
that the tornado's only--
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Whoa-whoa-whoa!
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I'll find out when the paper
comes next week.
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Right, the newspaper.
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Those were the good old days.
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Instead of isolating
ourselves on our phones,
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we used to read the paper and
discuss the affairs of the day.
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Sorry, Mitchell, but when your
precious newspaper was invented,
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it was demonized
for the exact same reasons.
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Ah, remember
the good old days?
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Instead of isolating ourselves
in our newspapers,
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we used to talk to each other
and just make up the news.
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I happen to understand
that fellow.
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He's simply longing for an era
of refinement and culture.
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People used to read books.
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No one reads books anymore.
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That old cliché
is completely false.
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More Americans read books today
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than did in the 1950s.
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Huh.
And, by the way,
when books were invented,
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snobs like you
hated on them too.
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One intellectual even thought
that too many books
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would harm the mind.
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Blast this...
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That's ridiculous.
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If you don't read books,
how will you know
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how smart and superior
you are?
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Ahh! Ooh!
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Well, according to Socrates,
you aren't.
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The father of philosophy
himself complained about
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the ultimate corrupting modern
invention, the written word.
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The written word
creates forgetfulness
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in the learners' souls.
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Back in my day,
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we memorized
and recited our lessons.
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Reading is for the lazy
and the stupid!
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No! My personal identity!
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It's okay, he was wrong.
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Just like you're wrong
about the internet.
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00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,430
No, no, things
are worse now.
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I can prove it.
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People used to communicate
with each other,
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not like these solipsists!
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I'm sorry, what do you think
people use these devices for?
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Literally, all they're
doing is communicating.
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He's keeping in touch
with a friend from college.
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She's writing an email to
a fellow researcher in Poland.
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I'm cyberbullying a child.
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(Adam)
Okay, they're not
all winners.
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00:04:26,050 --> 00:04:28,880
But the point is, we're all
communicating more now
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00:04:28,890 --> 00:04:30,420
than we ever were before.
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We weren't better people back
before we had smart phones
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or the internet.
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We were the same, lazy, curious,
social people we've always been.
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The only difference is now we
have instantaneous access to
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all knowledge
and communication.
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I mean, how is that anything
other than a tremendous
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social good?
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Instead of pining
for an imagined past,
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we should feel immensely lucky
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to live in the
magnificent present.
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You-- you...
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You're right.
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I love the internet.
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I've always loved it.
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I just felt too guilty
to admit it.
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I'm an avid Yelp reviewer.
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00:05:12,060 --> 00:05:15,760
I moderate three subreddits.
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Remember eBaum's World?
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(chuckling)
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I was eBaum.
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Why have I wasted so many years
flagellating myself,
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pretending to read
pretentious books
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that I don't even understand!
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But deep down, I knew.
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The internet
is the greatest invention
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in American history.
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Well, I hate to break it to you,
but America actually has
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some of the worst internet
in the developed world.
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What? No, come on, man.
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I just got on board with this.
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Sorry, it's true.
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Here, I'll show you.
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Ahh!
Oh, sorry, wrong way.
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00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:51,530
Ooh.
Wrong way again,
how is that possible?
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Ahh!
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00:05:55,540 --> 00:05:56,640
Hello?
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00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,140
Hello, Bell to eBaum.
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Ever wonder why people literally
always misuses the word 'literally'?
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00:06:11,171 --> 00:06:15,311
The word 'literally' means 'in
a literal manner or sense'.
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People often use it to
exaggerate for effects.
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And this drives some people nuts.
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OMG. I am literally starving.
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Are you literally starving?
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So you haven't had any
food for days,
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you're in the middle of desert,
you're about to die.
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Or did you mean figuratively?
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But, sorry grammar nerds.
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This usage is not as wrong as you think.
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People've been using
the word 'literally' to mean figuratively
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for literally hundreds of years.
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In fact, some of the greatest
English language writers used it that way.
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00:06:51,836 --> 00:06:55,023
Mark Twain himself wrote that
Tom Sawyer was literally
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'crawling in wealth.'
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Mark Twain was a hat.
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Scott F. Fitzgerald wrote that
Jay Gatsby 'literally glow.'
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You may believe in the green light,
but I'm seeing red.
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And don't forget Vladimir Nabokov,
who wrote
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'His eyes he literally scoured
the corners of the cell.'
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Try as you might to resist, the fact is
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that words change and
contain multiple meaning.
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'Literally' is just
another example of that.
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Wait, are you saying
it literally is not a big deal?
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Yes, if you freak out over the misuse
of the word 'literally',
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00:07:28,525 --> 00:07:33,501
you are literally dumber
than a pile of bricks.
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That's not literally jokes.
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Yeah, I know I was exaggerating.
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Wait, so you spend the first
third of your show
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00:07:45,420 --> 00:07:47,120
telling me how great
the internet is.
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Now you wanna tell me
that it's terrible?
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That's quite a pivot.
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Not the entire internet,
the American internet.
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We actually have
slower broadband
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than almost any other
developed nation.
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Oh, here we are.
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♪
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Ah.
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What-- are we
in South Korea?
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Did you say Psy?
I love Psy!
191
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I just got into him.
Oppa Gangnam--
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Please don't.
193
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Wait, hold on.
194
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How were we downloaded
so quickly?
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Well, the internet
here in Seoul
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00:08:21,820 --> 00:08:24,090
is nearly eight times
faster than in America.
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Eight times.
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00:08:25,690 --> 00:08:27,960
No wonder I always
get smoked at StarCraft.
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00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,160
Yup, cities in Korea, Japan,
Switzerland, France
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00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,730
and even Romania have
internet fast enough
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00:08:33,730 --> 00:08:37,170
to download an entire High-Def
movie in just seven seconds.
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00:08:45,610 --> 00:08:47,840
But with speeds like that,
it's gotta be insanely
expensive, so...
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00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,110
Actually,
we pay as low
204
00:08:49,110 --> 00:08:51,410
as one-tenth of what
many Americans pay.
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00:08:51,420 --> 00:08:54,380
One-tenth? But, by--
by that math,
206
00:08:54,380 --> 00:08:56,450
we would be paying
ten times as much
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00:08:56,450 --> 00:08:57,990
for a fraction
of the speed.
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00:08:57,990 --> 00:08:59,390
Yeah, I'm afraid
we are.
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00:08:59,390 --> 00:09:02,060
But America invented
the internet.
210
00:09:02,060 --> 00:09:03,430
How is this possible?
211
00:09:03,430 --> 00:09:05,830
Because the most hated
companies in America
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00:09:05,830 --> 00:09:08,300
are working to keep
it that way.
213
00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:11,400
Uh-oh!
This hurts so--
214
00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:12,500
Oh!
215
00:09:12,500 --> 00:09:16,870
(distorted)
... much....
216
00:09:16,870 --> 00:09:18,710
Why is this taking
so long?
217
00:09:18,710 --> 00:09:21,310
Because of those bandwidth
blocking bastards,
218
00:09:21,310 --> 00:09:23,080
America's cable companies.
219
00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:24,450
Sorry, I'm six hours late.
220
00:09:24,450 --> 00:09:27,180
I just, uh...
don't care. (chuckling)
221
00:09:27,180 --> 00:09:29,750
Finally, can you make
our internet faster?
222
00:09:29,750 --> 00:09:31,990
Uh, I could...
but I won't.
223
00:09:31,990 --> 00:09:35,090
Also, I double-charged
you this month, so...
224
00:09:35,090 --> 00:09:36,690
What? You-- You--
225
00:09:36,690 --> 00:09:38,490
That innocent woman
is beset.
226
00:09:38,500 --> 00:09:40,000
Why is he able to
treat her that way?
227
00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:42,200
Because she can't go
anywhere else, moron.
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00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:43,530
We're a monopoly.
229
00:09:43,530 --> 00:09:45,830
But Adam, I thought
the government
shuts down monopolies.
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00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:47,040
Nope, in this case,
231
00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,240
local governments
created them.
232
00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,570
In exchange for building
new cable lines,
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00:09:51,580 --> 00:09:52,970
early cable companies
were handed
234
00:09:52,980 --> 00:09:56,140
exclusive contracts
by state and local governments.
235
00:09:56,150 --> 00:09:58,610
Ah, come on, Unc, look,
I put up all these wires.
236
00:09:58,620 --> 00:09:59,780
Don't make me share 'em.
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00:09:59,780 --> 00:10:00,920
Well...
238
00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:03,920
we make phone companies
share the phone lines...
239
00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:05,690
Eh, but cable's
just a fad
240
00:10:05,690 --> 00:10:07,460
and landlines are here
to stay.
241
00:10:07,460 --> 00:10:11,290
What's the harm in making
a little "excepciones?"
242
00:10:11,290 --> 00:10:13,460
It turns out,
a lot of harm.
243
00:10:13,460 --> 00:10:14,930
Those cable lines
would go on to become
244
00:10:14,930 --> 00:10:17,700
the only viable way to get
broadband to your home.
245
00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:19,300
So, now, if you want
fast internet,
246
00:10:19,300 --> 00:10:21,300
you probably have
no choice.
247
00:10:21,300 --> 00:10:24,670
But as an intellectual,
I'm intellectually curious.
248
00:10:24,670 --> 00:10:25,740
Why don't other companies
249
00:10:25,740 --> 00:10:28,180
just put up new cables
and try to compete?
250
00:10:28,180 --> 00:10:29,880
That's the real scam.
251
00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:31,580
They all agreed
not to.
252
00:10:31,580 --> 00:10:34,650
Years ago, America's cable
companies realized
253
00:10:34,650 --> 00:10:36,680
that if they clustered
themselves by region,
254
00:10:36,690 --> 00:10:39,220
they wouldn't really
have to compete.
255
00:10:39,220 --> 00:10:42,520
(chatter)
256
00:10:42,530 --> 00:10:44,130
(laughing)
257
00:10:44,130 --> 00:10:46,130
They hatched
their plan in 1997
258
00:10:46,130 --> 00:10:49,530
during what one cable executive
called "the summer of love."
259
00:10:50,870 --> 00:10:52,930
Why we gotta fight?
260
00:10:52,940 --> 00:10:54,370
You take Iowa.
261
00:10:54,370 --> 00:10:56,200
And you take Ohio.
262
00:10:56,210 --> 00:10:57,670
Groovy, baby.
263
00:11:01,450 --> 00:11:02,640
(moaning)
264
00:11:02,650 --> 00:11:04,780
We have a merger!
(laughing)
265
00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,620
By 2016, America's 40
regional cable companies
266
00:11:12,620 --> 00:11:14,860
had consolidated
to just three.
267
00:11:14,860 --> 00:11:15,860
(snaps)
268
00:11:15,860 --> 00:11:17,260
And without regional
competition,
269
00:11:17,260 --> 00:11:20,360
these greedy monopolists
are free to jack up prices
270
00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,330
and keep your speeds
shockingly slow.
271
00:11:23,330 --> 00:11:24,430
(laughing)
272
00:11:24,430 --> 00:11:25,700
Revolting.
273
00:11:25,700 --> 00:11:28,370
And they don't do this
in South Korea or "Paree?"
274
00:11:28,370 --> 00:11:31,270
Nope, in those places,
service providers compete.
275
00:11:31,270 --> 00:11:34,380
In fact, France requires
companies to share space
276
00:11:34,380 --> 00:11:36,780
on their networks
with competitors,
277
00:11:36,780 --> 00:11:39,280
which is why some
French people have not one,
278
00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,520
but six high-speed providers
to choose from.
279
00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,350
(French accent)
So, you see, Francois.
280
00:11:44,350 --> 00:11:48,320
I lower my prices,
you lower yours.
281
00:11:48,330 --> 00:11:52,390
I raise my speeds,
you raise yours.
282
00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:53,800
So shall we live.
283
00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,330
And yes...
so shall we die.
284
00:11:59,970 --> 00:12:02,970
But in our country,
these cable jerks have used
285
00:12:02,970 --> 00:12:06,470
every tool at their disposal
to eradicate competition.
286
00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,180
They've even lobbied state
governments to make it illegal
287
00:12:09,180 --> 00:12:11,680
for America's cities to build
their own networks.
288
00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:13,310
I've got it!
289
00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,380
We can build a municipal
high-speed network
290
00:12:15,390 --> 00:12:17,820
to compete with cable companies
and boost our town's economy.
291
00:12:17,820 --> 00:12:22,260
Okay, that's actually
gonna be illegal now, sorry.
292
00:12:22,260 --> 00:12:23,660
Boy, you have
soft hands.
293
00:12:23,660 --> 00:12:25,660
And this scheme makes
the internet worse
294
00:12:25,660 --> 00:12:27,200
for all of us.
295
00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:28,700
We think of ourselves as
296
00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:31,570
the most technologically
advanced nation in the world.
297
00:12:31,570 --> 00:12:33,640
But when it comes to high-speed
internet access,
298
00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,640
we're at best
in the middle of the pack.
299
00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:37,210
Oh, seriously, guys?
300
00:12:37,210 --> 00:12:40,680
Oh, sorry, I was using
BitTorrent.
301
00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:42,280
Hey, Mitchell,
I'm Susan Crawford.
302
00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:43,780
I'm a professor
at Harvard law School.
303
00:12:43,780 --> 00:12:47,220
And I teach and write about
telecommunications in America.
304
00:12:47,220 --> 00:12:48,550
Oh, Harvard's
a good school...
305
00:12:48,550 --> 00:12:50,290
for people who
couldn't teach at Oxford.
306
00:12:50,290 --> 00:12:52,550
Don't nag my expert,
man.
307
00:12:52,560 --> 00:12:55,660
It's okay, I deal with a lot of
guys like him at Harvard too.
308
00:12:55,660 --> 00:12:57,960
Look, the problem is that these
very few companies
309
00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:01,100
are controlling American's
access to the internet.
310
00:13:01,100 --> 00:13:02,900
And that means
that everyday Americans
311
00:13:02,900 --> 00:13:05,130
are paying too much
for second-class service.
312
00:13:05,140 --> 00:13:07,140
At a time
when modern day life
313
00:13:07,140 --> 00:13:09,070
requires access
to the internet,
314
00:13:09,070 --> 00:13:10,640
it's just as important
these days
315
00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:12,510
as electricity or water.
316
00:13:12,510 --> 00:13:14,280
As important as water?
317
00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:16,410
I won't die if I don't
see Grumpy Cat.
318
00:13:16,410 --> 00:13:18,850
No, but you might have
trouble applying for a job.
319
00:13:18,850 --> 00:13:21,380
The internet is just essential
to modern life.
320
00:13:21,380 --> 00:13:22,950
Exactly, the same thing
happened with electricity
321
00:13:22,950 --> 00:13:24,350
about 100 years ago.
322
00:13:24,350 --> 00:13:27,060
It used to be considered
a luxury, not a utility.
323
00:13:27,060 --> 00:13:28,920
And a very few
private companies
324
00:13:28,930 --> 00:13:30,760
controlled electricity
in America.
325
00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,860
It took government intervention
to make sure
326
00:13:32,860 --> 00:13:34,530
that all Americans
had electricity.
327
00:13:34,530 --> 00:13:36,560
Uncle Sam needs
to do his job
328
00:13:36,570 --> 00:13:38,870
and force the cable
companies to compete.
329
00:13:38,870 --> 00:13:41,570
Until he does, we're gonna
keep getting screwed.
330
00:13:41,570 --> 00:13:43,810
If we don't upgrade
the entire country
331
00:13:43,810 --> 00:13:45,640
to fiber-optic
internet access,
332
00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,740
we will be behind for
the next several decades.
333
00:13:48,750 --> 00:13:50,710
Thank you, Susan.
You know, I have found this
334
00:13:50,710 --> 00:13:52,650
a very stimulating
tête-à-tête.
335
00:13:52,650 --> 00:13:53,980
Well, you know,
this all reminds me
336
00:13:53,980 --> 00:13:56,250
of yet another point
that Americans...
337
00:13:56,250 --> 00:13:57,920
Again?
338
00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,560
Sorry, let me reboot
the router and...
339
00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:01,590
(blowing)
340
00:14:01,590 --> 00:14:04,330
Ugh, this is
so frustrating!
341
00:14:04,330 --> 00:14:05,360
You know what?
You know what?
342
00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,100
I'm gonna post about
this on Facebook.
343
00:14:08,100 --> 00:14:10,160
You know, we may be getting
gouged by cable companies,
344
00:14:10,170 --> 00:14:11,230
but at least the best parts
of the internet,
345
00:14:11,230 --> 00:14:12,600
like Facebook,
are still free.
346
00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,840
Oh, no, Facebook
isn't free at all.
347
00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,410
In fact, you pay
for it every day.
348
00:14:17,410 --> 00:14:18,940
Here, I'll show you.
349
00:14:18,940 --> 00:14:20,240
Inside the internet.
350
00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:21,640
No, no,
not the ear again.
351
00:14:21,650 --> 00:14:23,480
It works in any hole.
352
00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:24,480
The ear will do nicely,
thank you.
353
00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,980
(both)
Ahh!
354
00:14:26,980 --> 00:14:28,580
♪
355
00:14:29,065 --> 00:14:31,995
♪ Ever wonder why?
356
00:14:35,011 --> 00:14:38,869
Ever wonder why
the standard paper size is 8.5x11?
357
00:14:40,049 --> 00:14:42,353
Who decided that shape and size?
358
00:14:42,377 --> 00:14:44,759
It must be the most boring man
in the world.
359
00:14:44,783 --> 00:14:46,072
Well, not quite.
360
00:14:46,096 --> 00:14:48,400
It was one of our
most boring president.
361
00:14:48,424 --> 00:14:49,724
Herbert Hoover.
362
00:14:49,748 --> 00:14:54,838
In 1921, as Secretary of Commerce,
the future president set up
363
00:14:54,862 --> 00:14:58,502
The Committe on
the Simplification of Paper Sizes.
364
00:14:58,526 --> 00:15:00,026
And the rest is…
365
00:15:03,143 --> 00:15:09,043
Somehow, a heated debate broke out over
the paper sizes the goverment should use.
366
00:15:09,067 --> 00:15:11,067
People fell into one of two cans.
367
00:15:11,349 --> 00:15:13,549
I think it should be 8x10.5.
368
00:15:13,573 --> 00:15:15,773
And if you disagree, I will slice you.
369
00:15:15,992 --> 00:15:19,492
I say it should be 8.5x11.
370
00:15:19,516 --> 00:15:24,716
Because I am a politician, and
I have strong opinion about log of dumb stacks.
371
00:15:24,966 --> 00:15:29,240
Finally, after a lot of boring argument
that I swear is not worth getting into,
372
00:15:29,264 --> 00:15:31,264
the 8x10.5 won.
373
00:15:34,201 --> 00:15:37,380
And that remains
the standard paper size until 1980,
374
00:15:37,404 --> 00:15:39,638
when copier became increasingly popular.
375
00:15:40,122 --> 00:15:42,822
You know what I love most about you.
376
00:15:42,846 --> 00:15:46,346
The way you can quickly, efficiently
replicate my writing.
377
00:15:48,190 --> 00:15:50,400
So the government went back
to the drawing board.
378
00:15:50,432 --> 00:15:53,955
Because, I don't know frankly,
I guess nothing better worth going on.
379
00:15:54,088 --> 00:15:56,267
My paper doesn't fit in this copier.
380
00:15:56,315 --> 00:15:59,900
And I'm tired of typing multiple copies
of my Anti-Abortion Bill.
381
00:15:59,924 --> 00:16:01,924
8.5x11.
382
00:16:04,159 --> 00:16:06,159
It is now the law of the man.
383
00:16:06,183 --> 00:16:08,830
Also, you people thought Hoover was boring?
384
00:16:08,854 --> 00:16:11,533
385
00:16:11,557 --> 00:16:14,893
And that's how 8.5x11 became
the standard paper size.
386
00:16:14,932 --> 00:16:17,268
I know you did, but hey
now you know.
387
00:16:27,830 --> 00:16:31,100
I imagine that right now you're
feeling a bit like Alice, hm?
388
00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:33,700
Tumbling down the rabbit hole.
389
00:16:33,700 --> 00:16:36,600
Wait, do you still think
"Matrix" parodies are cool?
390
00:16:40,910 --> 00:16:41,910
Yes.
(clinks to floor)
391
00:16:41,910 --> 00:16:44,440
Oh (bleep).
392
00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,280
Look around you, Mitchell.
393
00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,510
This is the free internet.
394
00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,180
We do everything here.
395
00:16:51,180 --> 00:16:53,420
We connect with friends
on Facebook.
396
00:16:53,420 --> 00:16:55,890
Search for information
on Google.
397
00:16:55,890 --> 00:16:57,760
And all of it's free.
398
00:16:57,760 --> 00:16:59,820
Yeah, free.
399
00:16:59,830 --> 00:17:02,090
Wait, actually, how do
these sites make money?
400
00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:03,460
I'll tell you.
401
00:17:03,460 --> 00:17:07,270
But you may not like where
the rabbit hole goes.
402
00:17:07,270 --> 00:17:09,700
So, do I choose a pill or...
403
00:17:09,700 --> 00:17:11,740
Oh, no, these are
my allergy medications.
404
00:17:11,740 --> 00:17:13,470
This one's for pollen
and this one's for lactose.
405
00:17:13,470 --> 00:17:15,310
(loud gulping)
406
00:17:15,310 --> 00:17:16,340
Oh.
407
00:17:21,310 --> 00:17:22,980
Where are we?
408
00:17:22,980 --> 00:17:23,980
What is this place?
409
00:17:23,980 --> 00:17:27,120
This is the internet
of the real.
410
00:17:27,120 --> 00:17:29,550
The truth is these services
aren't free at all.
411
00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,520
You pay for them with
your very identity.
412
00:17:32,530 --> 00:17:36,060
When you use Facebook,
they log everything you do.
413
00:17:36,060 --> 00:17:38,430
The pages you like,
the people you interact with.
414
00:17:38,430 --> 00:17:40,700
Even the words
in your status updates.
415
00:17:40,700 --> 00:17:42,800
Then they take
that information, analyze it
416
00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,640
and assemble a detailed
profile of who you are.
417
00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,110
They know your habits,
your preferences.
418
00:17:49,110 --> 00:17:51,040
They can even determine
your risk tolerance
419
00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:52,740
or sexual orientation.
420
00:17:52,750 --> 00:17:57,050
And then they sell that
information to advertisers.
421
00:17:57,050 --> 00:17:59,720
One risk-taking
homosexual, please.
422
00:18:02,790 --> 00:18:04,820
It's a pleasure doing
business with you.
423
00:18:10,260 --> 00:18:13,260
Wait, how do they know?
424
00:18:13,270 --> 00:18:15,830
I'm not even out at work yet.
425
00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,240
Hey, I didn't
know you were gay.
426
00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:19,870
And so adventurous.
427
00:18:19,870 --> 00:18:21,940
(chuckles)
428
00:18:21,940 --> 00:18:23,980
(Adam)
That's not hypothetical.
429
00:18:23,980 --> 00:18:26,410
This actually happened
to a woman in Tampa.
430
00:18:26,410 --> 00:18:28,110
Hm, that is problematic.
431
00:18:28,110 --> 00:18:30,820
But come on, we all know
they're showing us ads.
432
00:18:30,820 --> 00:18:34,720
Yeah, but we don't know how deep
Facebook's tentacles really go.
433
00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,090
They actually record
which ads we see.
434
00:18:37,090 --> 00:18:39,490
Then partner with firms that
monitor what we do
435
00:18:39,490 --> 00:18:40,930
in the real world.
436
00:18:40,930 --> 00:18:44,300
Jacob like the page
Bacon is Bae last week.
437
00:18:44,300 --> 00:18:45,930
We showed him an ad
for your double bacon
438
00:18:45,930 --> 00:18:47,300
heart attack burger.
439
00:18:48,700 --> 00:18:50,000
He just bought one in Duluth.
440
00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,400
Clearly susceptible
to the campaign.
441
00:18:52,410 --> 00:18:54,540
Let's pump him full of ads!
442
00:18:58,410 --> 00:18:59,440
(message alert)
443
00:18:59,450 --> 00:19:01,450
I guess I got room
for one more.
444
00:19:01,450 --> 00:19:03,680
This has gotta be one of
the most invasive advertising
445
00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:05,550
systems ever devised.
446
00:19:05,550 --> 00:19:08,150
Facebook can actually determine
who's the most vulnerable
447
00:19:08,150 --> 00:19:09,220
to an ad campaign.
448
00:19:09,220 --> 00:19:11,920
Then up their dosage
till they buy even more.
449
00:19:13,830 --> 00:19:15,030
Oh, wow, my heart.
450
00:19:17,230 --> 00:19:20,300
Well, I'll simply delete
my Facebook account.
451
00:19:20,300 --> 00:19:22,330
I'm gonna miss those
ex-girlfriend pictures.
452
00:19:22,340 --> 00:19:24,170
But it's worth it
not to be tracked, right?
453
00:19:24,170 --> 00:19:25,870
Sure, you can quit Facebook.
454
00:19:25,870 --> 00:19:28,010
But good luck
escaping Google.
455
00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:39,480
(clicking, hissing)
456
00:19:39,490 --> 00:19:41,190
That's me.
457
00:19:42,260 --> 00:19:43,960
(beeping)
458
00:19:46,530 --> 00:19:47,930
But I'm not even on Google.
459
00:19:47,930 --> 00:19:49,660
I'm, I'm on
a private website.
460
00:19:49,660 --> 00:19:50,760
Exactly.
461
00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:52,800
Google doesn't just track you
when you search.
462
00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:55,030
Their tracking software
is also installed
463
00:19:55,030 --> 00:19:57,300
on over 10 million websites.
464
00:19:57,300 --> 00:19:58,940
Even medical sites.
465
00:19:58,940 --> 00:20:01,610
So, that health info you think
you're looking up in private,
466
00:20:01,610 --> 00:20:03,340
Google's got a front row seat.
467
00:20:03,340 --> 00:20:05,310
Mitchell has erectile
dysfunction.
468
00:20:05,310 --> 00:20:07,680
I know a drug company
that would get rock hard
469
00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:09,380
for that information.
470
00:20:09,380 --> 00:20:10,420
(Adam)
And that's not all.
471
00:20:10,420 --> 00:20:12,780
Every time you write a Gmail,
472
00:20:12,790 --> 00:20:14,450
watch a YouTube video,
473
00:20:14,450 --> 00:20:16,820
or use Google Maps,
474
00:20:16,820 --> 00:20:19,120
Google collects data about you.
475
00:20:19,130 --> 00:20:20,120
God no!
476
00:20:20,130 --> 00:20:22,490
We don't even know
the full extent
477
00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:25,960
of what Facebook and Google
store or what they do with it.
478
00:20:25,970 --> 00:20:28,430
All we know is that they're
collecting our data
479
00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,370
on an unprecedented scale
and making billions off of it.
480
00:20:32,370 --> 00:20:34,510
That's their real
business model.
481
00:20:34,510 --> 00:20:37,510
They're monetizing us.
482
00:20:37,510 --> 00:20:38,780
When we use these sites,
483
00:20:38,780 --> 00:20:42,280
we're not the customer,
we're the product.
484
00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,580
Why? How?!
485
00:20:51,830 --> 00:20:54,030
Hello, Mitchell, I've been
waiting for you.
486
00:20:54,030 --> 00:20:56,560
Now you're parodying
the second "Matrix" movie?
487
00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,000
What? It's the best one.
488
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,130
Mitchell, this is
Ethan Zuckerman.
489
00:21:01,130 --> 00:21:04,040
He's the Director of the
MIT Center for Civic Media.
490
00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:07,370
Mitchell, the fact that the
sites are free is the problem.
491
00:21:07,370 --> 00:21:11,210
When the web was created,
we the users decided
492
00:21:11,210 --> 00:21:13,180
we would rather have free stuff
493
00:21:13,180 --> 00:21:15,110
than pay money
for the services we use.
494
00:21:15,110 --> 00:21:18,850
As a result, the websites have
had to sell ads to make money.
495
00:21:18,850 --> 00:21:22,290
They target ads to us
based on our preferences
496
00:21:22,290 --> 00:21:24,420
and our behavior online.
497
00:21:24,420 --> 00:21:27,530
And that means we're under
constant surveillance
498
00:21:27,530 --> 00:21:31,100
in exchange for these services
that we get for free.
499
00:21:31,100 --> 00:21:35,000
One in six people on earth
now has a Facebook account.
500
00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:39,040
And they make up 20%
of all time spent online.
501
00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:43,840
(Ethan)
That's 1.6 billion people whose
every move is being tracked
502
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,710
by an online big brother that
they chose to live under.
503
00:21:47,710 --> 00:21:48,750
Oh, no.
504
00:21:48,750 --> 00:21:50,050
And here's the kicker.
505
00:21:50,050 --> 00:21:51,680
You wanna know how much
revenue your personal data
506
00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:53,250
is worth to Facebook?
507
00:21:53,250 --> 00:21:56,620
For every user they surveil,
they make just $12.
508
00:21:56,620 --> 00:21:57,760
No.
509
00:21:57,760 --> 00:21:59,660
Your interests,
your personality.
510
00:21:59,660 --> 00:22:02,130
Your relationships,
your privacy.
511
00:22:02,130 --> 00:22:03,730
Those things are priceless.
512
00:22:03,730 --> 00:22:08,600
But you gave them all away
just to avoid paying $12.
513
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,140
No, that--
That can't be.
514
00:22:11,140 --> 00:22:13,070
That's, that's, that,
that's not possible.
515
00:22:13,070 --> 00:22:15,170
Well, there is a bright side.
You wanna hear about it?
516
00:22:15,170 --> 00:22:19,010
No, no, just shut up, shut--
Shut up, let me out!
517
00:22:19,010 --> 00:22:20,180
He's gonna pop.
518
00:22:20,180 --> 00:22:21,180
Let me out!
519
00:22:21,180 --> 00:22:22,650
I wanna get out!
520
00:22:22,650 --> 00:22:24,520
(moaning)
Oh... oh...
521
00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:26,250
You know, this happens
to all my friends.
522
00:22:30,020 --> 00:22:32,490
(sighs)
Thank goose,
it was just a dream.
523
00:22:32,490 --> 00:22:33,620
Oh, good you're awake.
524
00:22:33,630 --> 00:22:36,330
No, no, get me out
of the internet, okay?
525
00:22:36,330 --> 00:22:38,530
Google, Facebook,
the cable companies.
526
00:22:38,530 --> 00:22:40,200
They all have way
too much power.
527
00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,000
The internet's ruined, and
there's no way to stop it.
528
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,000
Are you kidding?
Of course there is.
529
00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,570
How? I'm not Keanu,
I'm not "The One."
530
00:22:48,580 --> 00:22:50,210
You don't have to be.
531
00:22:50,210 --> 00:22:52,380
We can all do it together
by using the power
532
00:22:52,380 --> 00:22:54,310
of the internet itself.
533
00:22:54,310 --> 00:22:56,310
In 2015, the cable companies
534
00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,780
were trying to do away
with net neutrality.
535
00:22:58,790 --> 00:23:00,990
That's the principle that all
data on the internet
536
00:23:00,990 --> 00:23:02,220
is treated equally.
537
00:23:02,220 --> 00:23:03,890
But instead,
they wanted a system
538
00:23:03,890 --> 00:23:06,060
where rich sites could pay for
faster service
539
00:23:06,060 --> 00:23:08,830
while sites without money
would get screwed.
540
00:23:08,830 --> 00:23:10,360
That's awful.
541
00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:12,930
That's what a lot of other
people thought too.
542
00:23:12,930 --> 00:23:14,800
But instead of staying silent,
543
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,670
they used the internet to
communicate with the FCC
544
00:23:17,670 --> 00:23:20,000
and their politicians
and raise their voices.
545
00:23:20,010 --> 00:23:22,610
More than four million
Americans wrote in to protect
546
00:23:22,610 --> 00:23:24,280
the internet they love.
547
00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,010
And as a result of all that
political pressure,
548
00:23:27,010 --> 00:23:28,910
the FCC changed direction.
549
00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,620
All those people
made that happen.
550
00:23:31,620 --> 00:23:34,650
When you act collectively
to ensure the protection
551
00:23:34,650 --> 00:23:36,990
of the internet,
things change.
552
00:23:36,990 --> 00:23:39,590
And we can do the same with
Facebook and Google.
553
00:23:39,590 --> 00:23:41,430
We can demand more
accountability
554
00:23:41,430 --> 00:23:43,160
for what these sites
do with our data.
555
00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,330
And we can vote
with our dollars
556
00:23:45,330 --> 00:23:48,500
by paying for sites
that put our interests first.
557
00:23:48,500 --> 00:23:52,540
Wow, instead of being ashamed
or scared of the internet,
558
00:23:52,540 --> 00:23:54,510
we should use the internet
559
00:23:54,510 --> 00:23:57,440
to raise our voices
and fight for a better one.
560
00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:58,510
Exactly.
561
00:23:58,510 --> 00:24:00,680
We don't have to wait
around for The One.
562
00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,780
We can all be superheroes now.
563
00:24:02,780 --> 00:24:04,450
Thanks, Adam.
564
00:24:04,450 --> 00:24:06,650
Ah! Let me.
565
00:24:06,650 --> 00:24:07,790
Oh.
566
00:24:07,790 --> 00:24:09,490
Ahh!
567
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,290
♪
568
00:24:14,290 --> 00:24:15,490
Not you again.
569
00:24:15,500 --> 00:24:17,400
I'm sorry to
have bugged you.
570
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,130
I hope you'll accept this
571
00:24:19,130 --> 00:24:20,630
as an apology.
572
00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:23,300
I have work to do.
573
00:24:25,470 --> 00:24:27,710
I read this freshman
year of college.