>> WELCOME, WELCOME,
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT!"
I'M JOHN OLIVER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
IT'S BEEN ANOTHER BUSY WEEK.
THE SENATE CONFIRMED
KETANJI BROWN JACKSON TO THE
SUPREME COURT.
ELON MUSK JOINED THE BOARD
OF TWITTER, PRESUMABLY TO
INNOVATE NEW WAYS TO MAKE IT
WORSE.
AND THE RUSSIAN INVASION
OF UKRAINE CONTINUED TO
ESCALATE, WITH REPORTS OF
UNFATHOMABLE HORRORS, STRONGLY
SUGGESTING WAR CRIMES,
IF NOT GENOCIDE.
AND LOOK, I KNOW THIS IS
ALLEGEDLY A COMEDY SHOW,
AND I'VE JUST SAID THE MOST
UPSETTING COLLECTION OF WORDS
SINCE "LOUIS CK WINS GRAMMY
FOR BEST COMEDY ALBUM."
BUT WE DO NEED TO AT LEAST
BRIEFLY DEAL WITH WHAT'S GOING
ON IN UKRAINE, AND PARTICULARLY
BUCHA, SITE OF SOME OF THE WORST
IMAGES TO EMERGE THIS WEEK.
BECAUSE RUSSIAN STATE TV IS
GOING OUT OF ITS WAY NOT TO.
HERE IS HOW ONE BROADCASTER
THERE SPUN THOSE TERRIBLE IMAGES
OF BODIES IN THE STREETS.
>> THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE
SCREEN THAT ARE LYING DEAD
IN THE STREET WITH WHITE
ARM BANDS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IT MEANS THAT AFTER RUSSIAN
FORCES LEFT BUCHA,
THE SO-CALLED LIBERATORS CAME IN
AND THEY SIMPLY KILLED PEACEFUL
CIVILIANS.
ON THE SCREEN,
PEOPLE ARE MOVING.
THAT MEANS THAT ACTORS
WERE ALSO INVOLVED.
A CONCLUSION OUT OF ALL OF THIS
IS THAT TO ACHIEVE
THEIR MEDIA GOALS,
THE UKRAINIAN KYIV REGIME,
KILLED ITS OWN PEOPLE.
>> YEAH, SO THAT MAN'S
OFFICIAL ARGUMENT IS UKRAINIANS
KILLED THEIR OWN CIVILIANS,
WHO ACTUALLY AREN'T CIVILIANS;
THEY'RE ACTORS WHO WERE JUST
PRETENDING TO BE DEAD, AND THE
UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT ITSELF IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REAL
SLAUGHTER OF ITS OWN FAKE
CIVILIANS.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY RIDICULOUS, AND
DON'T OVERCOMPLICATE.
THERE'S A REASON THE LINE IS
"I DEFINITELY HAVE A GIRLFRIEND,
SHE JUST GOES TO ANOTHER SCHOOL"
AND NOT, "I DEFINITELY HAVE
A GIRLFRIEND, SHE'S ACTUALLY
TWINS, SOMETIMES THEY MERGE AND
BECAME ONE REALLY BIG GIRL, I'D
INVITE YOU TO COME OVER AND MEET
THEM, BUT THAT MIGHT BE
CONFUSING, BECAUSE I AM YOU FROM
THE FUTURE."
RUSSIAN STATE TV HAS BEEN
GRASPING AT STRAWS ALL WEEK,
WITH A PRESENTER AT ONE POINT
ARGUING, AS EVIDENCE THAT BUCHA
WAS THE SITE OF A FALSE FLAG
ATTACK, THAT "BIDEN SAID THAT
PUTIN IS A BUTCHER.
BUCHA SOUNDS LIKE BUTCHER.
HOW COULD THEY NOT TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF SUCH A TOWN?"
WHICH IS JUST INSANE.
IF BAD THINGS ONLY HAPPENED IN
PLACES WITH NAMES THAT SOUNDED
SCARY, ALL OF AMERICA'S WORST
SHIT WOULD BE HAPPENING IN
TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA,
CAPE FEAR, NORTH CAROLINA,
OR HELL, MICHIGAN
AND NOT WHERE IT ACTUALLY
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA.
BUT THIS FLAGRANT LYING IS
CONSISTENT WITH HOW RUSSIA'S
STATE MEDIA'S DEALT WITH THIS
WAR FROM THE BEGINNING.
AT FIRST, THEY REFUSED TO EVEN
ACKNOWLEDGE THERE WAS A WAR,
LET ALONE ADDRESS CASUALTIES.
JUST WATCH WHAT HAPPENED LAST
MONTH WHEN A MILITARY OFFICER
MERELY MENTIONED RUSSIAN DEATHS.
>>
>> WOW, CLOSE CALL THERE!
RUSSIAN VIEWERS ALMOST LEARNED
THAT THEIR TROOPS WERE BEING
KILLED UNTIL THAT HOST JUMPED UP
AND SCREAMED "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA,
IXNAY ON THE ASUALTIES-KAY."
SOME TRULY GRADE-A PROPAGANDA
WORK FROM THE NETWORK THAT
BROUGHT YOU "SHUT UP ABOUT
VLADIMIR PUTIN'S ELECTION FRAUD"
AND "POISONING OPPONENTS?
LA, LA, LA.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU."
IT SEEMS RUSSIA IS DETERMINED TO
DENY THE OBVIOUS AND TO JUSTIFY
THE INDEFENSIBLE.
BUT THAT'S GETTING INCREASINGLY
HARD TO DO.
AND IF YOU THINK "THOSE BODIES
ARE ACTUALLY ACTORS" IS AS
PATHETIC AS IT GOT, JUST LISTEN
TO ROSSIYA-24'S RIDICULOUS
EXPLANATION.
>> THIS IS HOW THE
PREPARATION FOR PERFORMANCE,
LITERALLY, OF MILITARY ACTIONS
IN UKRAINE IS TAKING PLACE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S QUITE
UNCOMPLICATED.
TWO PEOPLE IN MILITARY UNIFORMS
CAREFULLY WRAP THE MANNEQUIN
WITH TAPE.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY ARE GOING TO
PASS IT OFF AS A CORPSE.
>> LOOK, THAT'S CLEARLY
ABSURD.
NOT ONLY ARE THE UKRAINIAN
CASUALTIES OBVIOUSLY REAL, THAT
FOOTAGE TURNED OUT TO BE PART OF
A TV DRAMA BEING FILMED NEAR
ST. PETERSBURG LAST MONTH.
AND IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHICH TV
SHOW, IT'S ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY
PLAYLIST.
WHAT CAN I SAY?
RUSSIAN AUDIENCES REALLY CONNECT
WITH THE STORY OF A WOMAN FORCED
TO HALLUCINATE A MORE JOYFUL
EXISTENCE.
AND CLEARLY, THERE WILL BE MORE
TO SAY ABOUT THE UKRAINIAN
SITUATION AS IT DEVELOPS.
BUT FOR NOW, LET'S MOVE TO A
MUCH LESS CONSEQUENTIAL STORY,
CONCERNING OAN.
THE NETWORK WITH A LOGO THAT
LOOKS LIKE IT BELONGS ON THE
SIDE OF A TRUCK TRANSPORTING
REFRIGERATOR PARTS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OAN A FEW
TIMES OVER THE YEARS, PRIMARILY
BECAUSE THEY WERE TRUMP'S
FAVORITE NEWS OUTLET,
AS WELL AS A PERPETUAL SOURCE OF
MISINFORMATION ABOUT COVID AND
PLATFORM FOR PILLOW PRINCE MIKE
LINDELL'S ELECTION-FRAUD
DOCUMENTARY "ABSOLUTE PROOF."
AND YES, I AM USING THE WORD
DOCUMENTARY THERE WITH
CHRISTLIKE GENEROSITY.
THIS WAS A BIG WEEK FOR OAN,
ALTHOUGH NOT IN A GOOD WAY, AS
ONE OF THEIR ANCHORS EXPLAINED.
>> COME MONDAY, YOU WILL
NO LONGER SEE ONE AMERICA NEWS
ON A CERTAIN SATELLITE PROVIDER,
WHICH I WILL NOT MENTION BECAUSE
I DON'T EVEN LIKE UTTERING THEIR
NAME OUT OF MY MOUTH.
>> AH, YES, THE HALLMARK
OF A GREAT NEWS NETWORK,
BRINGING YOU HARD HITTING
NEWS STORIES WITHOUT SPECIFICS
BECAUSE THEY MAKE THE ANCHOR
SAD.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE PROVIDER
HE'S REFERRING TO IS DIRECT TV,
WHICH IS A SUBSIDIARY OF
A PARENT COMPANY I WILL NOT
MENTION BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN
LIKE UTTERING THEIR NAME
OUT OF MY MOUTH.
INTERESTINGLY, AS OF FRIDAY,
AT&T OFFICIALLY NO LONGER OWNS
US, SO IT'S GOODBYE FROM ME,
BUSINESS DADDY.
LET ME JUST SAY THIS, WHICH IS
FRANKLY TWO MORE BARS THAN
YOU'VE EVER HAD.
AS WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, AT&T
WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN OAN'S RISE,
WITH ABOUT 90% OF ITS
REVENUE REPORTEDLY GENERATED
FROM ITS AT&T AND DIRECTV DEALS.
BUT THIS PAST WEEK, OAN WAS
FINALLY DROPPED BY THE PROVIDER,
AND NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON.
ITS COVERAGE OF UKRAINE IN
PARTICULAR HAS BEEN APPALLING,
WITH THIS FUCKING GUY SUGGESTING
THAT THIS BOMBING OF A MATERNITY
HOSPITAL MIGHT HAVE BEEN A HOAX.
>> SO WHAT'S THE MOST RECENT
STORY COOKED UP BY THE AMERICAN
PRAVDA?
WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE
RUSSIANS, DEMOCRATS' FAVORITE
ADVERSARY, BLEW UP A HOSPITAL,
KILLING SEVERAL PEOPLE,
INCLUDING A CHILD.
PERHAPS WAR CRIMES ARE BEING
COMMITTED, PERHAPS CIVILIANS ARE
BEING MURDERED, BUT PERHAPS THEY
AREN'T.
>> WOW, IT'S PRETTY
MADDENING TO WATCH NEO-FACIST
VIN DIESEL THERE QUESTION
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES WITH THE
TONE OF A STONED TEENAGER
TALKING ABOUT PENGUINS.
"PERHAPS THEY'RE WEARING LITTLE
BIRD TUXEDOS, BUT PERHAPS...
THEY AREN'T."
NOW, LOSING DISTRIBUTION ON
DIRECTV IS CLEARLY A BIG BLOW TO
OAN, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING OUT
WITHOUT A FIGHT, AS THEIR OWNERS
ARE CURRENTLY SUING AT&T AND
DIRECT TV FOR $1 BILLION.
CLAIMING AT ONE POINT IN THE
SUIT THAT AT&T BREACHED A
"NON-DISPARAGEMENT PROVISION" IN
THEIR CONTRACT, BECAUSE SHOWS
THE COMPANY OWNED HAD BEEN
CRITICAL OF THEM.
AND HERE'S WHERE THINGS GET FUN.
BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT, WE'RE
ACTUALLY IN THE LAWSUIT.
IT CITES A NUMBER OF THINGS I
SAID ABOUT OAN IN THE PAST,
LIKE THE FACT THEY'RE FOX NEWS
WITH EVEN LESS SHAME AND EVEN
FEWER SCRUPLES AND A RAGTAG
BAND OF FASCISTS WHO ARE HAPPY
TO GIVE A PLATFORM TO BATSHIT
ELECTION FRAUD THEORIES FROM
AMERICA'S MOST OUT-OF-BREATH
PILLOW FETISHIST.
AND WHILE I'M HAPPY TO HAVE SAID
ALL OF THOSE, I CAN'T BELIEVE
THEY LEFT OUT THE FACT THAT I
ALSO CALLED THIS GUY DECAF
PITBULL JUST LAST YEAR, AND
FRANKLY, I WANT THAT ENTERED
INTO THE LEGAL RECORD.
AND LOOK, I DO GET THEY'RE
UPSET.
JUST AS I GET THEY'RE AN
INTELLECTUALLY BANKRUPT
ORGANIZATION, FULL OF
OPPORTUNISTIC GRIFTERS, WHO'VE
DONE NOTHING BUT MAKE THIS
COUNTRY A WORSE PLACE.
BUT PERHAPS THIS ISN'T THE TIME
FOR THAT.
AND PERHAPS I'M SORRY FOR TAKING
JOY IN THEIR MISFORTUNE AND
KICKING THEM WHEN THEY'RE DOWN.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND
PERHAPS I'M NOT.
AND NOW THIS.
>> AND NOW THINGS
GET UNCOMFORTABLE ON LOCAL NEWS
THANKS TO A TERRIBLE HOLIDAY.
>> ALLEGEDLY ITS NATIONAL HUG
"E! NEWS" PERSON DAY.
I'M GOOD.
>> I'M GOOD.
>> TODAY IS NATIONAL HUG A NEWS
PERSON DAVE.
>> OR DON'T.
>> JACKIE IS THERE ANYONE YOU
WANT TO GIVE A HUG TOO?
>> I HATE HUG SO MUCH.
I HATE HUGS SO MUCH.
TODAY IS NATIONAL HUG A NEWS
PERSON DAY.
>> DON'T COME UP AND HUG
SOMEBODY.
>> I DON'T KNOW YOU.
>> YOU MADE THAT UP.
>> I DID NOT MAKE THAT OUT.
>> WHERE DID YOU FIND IT?
SOME BOGUS WEBSITE?
>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
>> I AM WARMING UP MY HUGGING
MUSCLES.
JUSTIN GOT ONE LAST HOUR.
>> MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
COMPUTERS.
THERE'S ONE IN MY HOUSE, ONE IN
MY POCKET AND ONE ON MY WRIST,
AND, FUN FACT, IF THEY ALL BROKE
AT THE SAME TIME, I'D DIE!
MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT
WE'VE ALL HAD UNSETTLING MOMENTS
WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT OUR
COMPUTER WAS MONITORING OUR
ACTIVITIES A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY
THAN WE MIGHT LIKE.
>> AFTER FINANCIAL PLANNER
ROD LAURENZ OPENED A NEW OFFICE,
HE USED A CREDIT CARD
TO BUY BABY WIPES TO
CLEAN THE PLACE.
HE SAYS AFTER PICKING UP
JUST ONE CANISTER, HE WAS
SHOCKED TO BE BOMBARDED WITH
TARGETED ONLINE ADS FOR OTHER
BABY WIPES AND MORE CHILDREN'S
PRODUCTS, SOMETHING THIS SINGLE
GUY AROUND TOWN SAYS HE'S
DEFINITELY NOT INTERESTED IN,
AT LEAST NOT NOW.
>> YES, IT'S TRUE.
POOR ROD GOT ROPED
INTO THE MODERN UPDATE
OF HEMINGWAY'S CLASSIC STORY.
"FOR SALE.
BABY SHOES.
CLICK HERE."
AND OF COURSE ROD DIDN'T WANT
THAT SHIT.
HE WAS A MAN ABOUT TOWN!
HE WAS ONLY INTERESTED IN THREE
GETTING LAIDS, GETTING
PAIDS, AND ROCKING THE HELL OUT
OF SOME WRAP-AROUND SHADES.
WE'VE ALL FOUND OURSELVES BEING
TARGETED BY ADS FOR SOMETHING
ODDLY SPECIFIC, AND THOUGHT,
"HOW ON EARTH DID THEY KNOW TO
SHOW ME THAT?"
AND TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO TALK
DATA BROKERS.
IT'S A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR
INDUSTRY, ENCOMPASSING EVERYONE
FROM CREDIT-REPORTING COMPANIES,
TO THESE WEIRD PEOPLE-FINDING
WEBSITES THAT POP UP WHENEVER
YOU GOOGLE THE NAME OF YOUR
FRIEND'S SKETCHY NEW BOYFRIEND,
TO THESE NAMES YOU MAY NEVER
HAVE HEARD OF.
BUT WHAT ALL THESE COMPANIES
HAVE IN COMMON IS, THEY COLLECT
YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION AND
THEN RESELL OR SHARE IT WITH
OTHERS.
AS ONE EXPERT PUTS IT, THEY'RE
THE "MIDDLEMEN OF SURVEILLANCE
CAPITALISM."
WHICH SOUNDS LIKE BOTH A
HORRIFIC PROFESSION, AND ALSO,
A B-PLUS JAKE GYLLENHAAL
THRILLER.
HE'S NOT A SPY.
AND HE'S NOT A CIVILIAN.
HE'S...
THE MIDDLE MAN.
AND LADIES?
IN THIS ONE, HE SHOWS TRUNK.
AND LOOK, I KNOW IT'S NOT NEWS
THAT YOU GET TRACKED ONLINE.
IN FACT, ROUGHLY SIX IN TEN U.S.
ADULTS SAY THEY DON'T THINK IT'S
POSSIBLE TO GO THROUGH DAILY
LIFE WITHOUT HAVING DATA
COLLECTED ABOUT THEM BY
COMPANIES OR THE GOVERNMENT.
MAKING FOUR OUT OF TEN U.S.
ADULTS EMBARRASSINGLY WRONG.
BUT THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE
CONVENIENCE AND/OR IRRITATION OF
TARGETED ADS.
DATA BROKERS OPERATE IN A
SPRAWLING, UNREGULATED
ECOSYSTEM, WHICH CAN GET VERY
CREEPY VERY FAST.
>> THE MAJOR U.S. RETAILER
OFFICEMAX KNEW NOT ONLY
THAT MIKE SEAY'S DAUGHTER
WAS DEAD BUT HOW SHE DIED.
>> IT SAYS, "MIKE SEAY,
DAUGHTER KILLED IN CAR CRASH
OR CURRENT BUSINESS,"
AND THIS IS MY HOME.
WHY WOULD THEY HAVE THAT KIND
OF INFORMATION?
WHY WOULD THEY NEED THAT?
>> RIGHT, AND OBVIOUSLY
THAT'S COMPLETELY APPALLING.
BUT I WILL SAY, I'M NOT THAT
SURPRISED OFFICEMAX WAS BEHIND
THAT, AS THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT
ENTIRELY ON TOP OF THEIR SHIT.
IF YOU GOOGLE OFFICEMAX,
THE "PEOPLE ALSO ASK" QUESTIONS
INCLUDE, AND THIS IS TRUE,
"IS OFFICEMAX THE SAME
AS OFFICE DEPOT?"
"IS OFFICEMAX AND STAPLES
THE SAME?"
AND "DOES OFFICEMAX EXIST?"
THE TRUTH IS, WHEN IT COMES TO
DATA BROKERS, THEY KNOW
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ABOUT YOU
THAN YOU MIGHT LIKE, AND DO
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WITH IT THAN
YOU MIGHT THINK.
SO TONIGHT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
WHOLE INDUSTRY.
AND LET'S START WITH HOW YOUR
INFORMATION IS COLLECTED.
BASICALLY EVERY TIME YOU
INTERACT WITH SOCIETY, YOU'RE
LEAVING BREADCRUMBS THAT CAN BE
GATHERED AND SOLD.
AND MUCH OF THIS HAPPENS ONLINE,
THANKS IN LARGE PART TO COOKIES.
COOKIES WERE DEVELOPED IN THE
EARLY DAYS OF THE INTERNET,
AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT MAKE IT SLIGHTLY
BETTER, A DISTINCTION THEY SHARE
WITH HENRY WINKLER'S TWITTER
FEED AND LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE.
WHAT THEY ESSENTIALLY DO IS
ENABLE WEBSITES TO REMEMBER YOU,
THEY'RE WHY AMAZON REMEMBERS
YOU PUT A $106 COMPLETE BOX
SET OF THE MENTALIST IN YOUR
CART AFTER EATING AN
UNEXPECTEDLY STRONG WEED GUMMY,
EVEN IF YOU DON'T.
AND IF THAT'S ALL COOKIES DID,
IT'D BE FINE.
BUT THE PRACTICE GRADUALLY
EVOLVED TO INCLUDE THIRD-PARTY
COOKIES BASICALLY, COMPANIES
OTHER THAN THE SITE THAT YOU'RE
ON, PLANTING A PIECE OF CODE IN
YOUR BROWSER THAT ALLOWS THEM TO
TRACK WHERE ELSE YOU'RE GOING ON
THE INTERNET.
JUST WATCH AS A TECH WRITER
EXPLAINS WHAT THEY FOUND, WHEN
THEY TRIED TO LEARN JUST HOW
MANY COMPANIES WERE TRACKING
THEM.
>> SO I STARTED THE DAY
ON GOOGLE AND DID A SEARCH.
AND NINE TRACKERS
WERE DOWNLOADED
ONTO MY COMPUTER.
>> TRACKERS DO WHAT IT
SOUNDS LIKE THEY DO.
THEY TRACK YOU.
THEY CAN GET MY I.P. ADDRESS
OR THE DEVICE I'M USING
OR THE SCREEN SIZE.
THEY WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE
MY LOCATION VERY PRECISELY.
NEXT, I WENT TO HUFFPO,
AND I WAS SWARMED.
THE TRACKERS KIND OF MULTIPLIED.
THERE WERE DOZENS AND
DOZENS.
AND THEY'RE JUST -- THE TRACKERS
ARE JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW,
ON MY HEELS AS I GO AROUND
THE WEB.
>> YEAH, AND I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T WANT
A WHOLE CROWD OF STRANGERS
WATCHING WHAT I SEARCH FOR
ON THE INTERNET.
NOT BECAUSE IT'S GROSS,
BECAUSE IT'S PRIVATE.
PRIVATE DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN
GROSS.
THERE'S NOTHING GROSS ABOUT
LOOKING UP "ARE THERE ANY
SHOWERHEADS WITH
A 'CONTAINS PULP' OPTION?"
I WOULDN'T WANT IT ALL THE TIME,
I WOULDN'T NEED IT
ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S WHY IT'S AN OPTION.
THE OPTION TO HAVE SOME PULP.
IN THE SHOWER.
IT'S -- CAN I FINISH?
IT'S A NORMAL SHOWER MOST OF
THE TIME BUT OCCASIONALLY I'LL
HAVE THE OPTION TO GET PELTED
WITH SOMETHING THAT'S GOT SOME
HEFT TO IT.
JUST SOME WEIGHTED CHUNKS
OF WHATEVER.
THWOOMP.
SOMETHING TO WAKE ME UP
AND KEEP ME ON MY TOES.
SOMETIMES I NEED IT,
DON'T CLAIM YOU DON'T.
WE'D ALL LOVE TO PRETEND THAT
THE SUN ONLY RISES IN PEACETIME,
BUT THINGS BEING WHAT THEY ARE
WE FIND OURSELVES AGAIN AT WAR
SO, YEAH, START MY DAY
AND ROCK ME WITH SOME
JUICY BITS.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE
WATCHING ME WHEN I SEARCH TO
SEE HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO THAT
TECHNOLOGY EXISTING.
BECAUSE IT'S PRIVATE.
BUT DATA BROKERS OFTEN TAKE ALL
THE BREADCRUMBS THEY'VE GATHERED
ABOUT YOU, PAIR THEM WITH OTHER
DATA THEY CAN OBTAIN, AND THEN
SHARE ALL OF IT WITH BUSINESSES
WHO WANT TO MARKET TO YOU.
AND THEY'LL FRAME THIS
AS A WIN-WIN.
HERE'S HOW EPSILON, ONE OF THE
BIGGEST DATA-BROKER FIRMS,
POSITIONS ITSELF.
>> THIS IS A PERSON.
SO IS THIS.
HERE'S ANOTHER.
AND ANOTHER.
THEY ALL LOOK AND ACT
DIFFERENT BUT PEOPLE ARE
FUNDAMENTALLY THE SAME.
THEY ALL WANT RESPECT,
PROTECTION, AND AN EASIER TIME
GETTING THE THINGS
THEY NEED FROM BRANDS.
>> RIGHT!
THE BIG THREE!
IT'S ALL IN MASLOW'S FAMOUS
HIERARCHY OF NEEDS, PEOPLE WANT
THEIR PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS MET,
THEIR SAFETY ACCOUNTED FOR AND
THEIR SEARCH HISTORY HANDED OVER
DIRECTLY TO THE AFLAC DUCK.
EPSILON'S AD EVEN GOES ON TO
SHOW HOW THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE
OF THEIRS WORKS, DEMONSTRATING
HOW THEY CAN CREATE
A CLIENT ID FOR SOMEONE
THAT CONTAINS EVERYTHING
THEY KNOW ABOUT THEM,
LIKE THE FACT THEY'RE A VEGAN
AND MAKE $45,000 TO $50,000
A YEAR, OR THAT THEY'RE
A 41-YEAR-OLD MALE WHO'S MARRIED
WITH KIDS AT HOME AND IS
GOOGLING "SNOW GLOBE STUCK IN
BUTT, WHAT TO DO?"
AND ONCE COMPANIES LIKE EPSILON
COLLECT ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT
YOU, THEY CAN SORT YOU INTO
GROUPS.
DATA BROKER FIRMS SELL LISTS
WITH NAMES LIKE "COUPLES WITH
CLOUT," "AMBITIOUS SINGLES,"
"BOOMERS AND BOOMERANGS,"
"POTLUCKS AND THE GREAT
OUTDOORS," "GOLF CARTS AND
GOURMETS," AND "KIDS AND
CABERNET."
THOSE ARE ALL BOTH "REAL NAMES"
OF GROUPS MADE BY DATA BROKERS
"AND" AS OF NOW
IMMEDIATELY-GREENLIT SHOWS
ON TLC.
LOOK, YOU MIGHT NOT CARE IF A
COMPANY WANTS TO TOSS YOUR DATA
IN A GROUP CALLED "KIDS AND
CABERNET" SO THEY CAN MORE
EFFECTIVELY SEND YOU ADS THAT
MAKE YOU SEEM LIKE A BAD MOM IN
A FUN WAY, BUT THERE'S ALSO
A DARK SIDE HERE.
BECAUSE SOME COMPANIES CAN AND
DO DRAW UP EVEN MORE NARROWLY
TARGETED LISTS -- LIKE PEOPLE
WITH CERTAIN AILMENTS, OR SEXUAL
PREFERENCES -- AND THEN SELL
THOSE LISTS TO ANYONE WHO WANTS
TO BUY THEM.
AND WHAT THEY CAN BUY IS PRETTY
TROUBLING.
>> WRAL BOUGHT THOUSANDS OF
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF LOCAL
PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS ILLNESSES.
THIS GROUP LIVING IN THE
26707 ZIP CODE HAVE DIABETES.
THESE PEOPLE IN 26708 HAVE
CANCER.
THESE RESIDENTS OF 27609
HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
AND ALL OF THESE LOCALS
BATTLE DEPRESSION.
THIS LIST IS MOMS-TO-BE.
>> SO, WE BOUGHT THIS DATA
AND IT TELLS US YOU'RE PREGNANT.
>> YES.
>> AND YOU ARE?
>> I AM.
I AM 18 WEEKS.
>> THAT'S PRETTY CREEPY.
ISN'T IT?
I HONESTLY DID NOT THINK THERE
COULD BE A WORSE THING TO ASK
A WOMAN YOU DON'T KNOW THAN
'ARE YOU PREGNANT?'
BUT "YOU ARE PREGNANT,
WANNA KNOW WHO I PAID
TO FIND OUT?"
HAS CERTAINLY ENTERED THE CHAT.
AND IF YOU'RE THINKING,
"BUT THAT'S ILLEGAL UNDER HIPAA,
RIGHT?"
WELL, NO.
AS ONE RESEARCHER POINTED OUT,
THE MEDICAL INFORMATION YOU
RELAY TO YOUR PHYSICIAN IS
HIGHLY PROTECTED, BUT IF YOU GO
TO A MEDICAL WEBSITE AND SEARCH
FOR TERMS LIKE HIV OR
ABORTION, THAT INFORMATION IS
NOT PROTECTED AT ALL.
IT'S A SYSTEM THAT SEEMS RIPE
FOR ABUSE, BEFORE YOU LEARN SOME
DATA BROKERS HAVE OFFERED LISTS
SUFFERING SENIORS
PAYDAY LOAN CENTRAL --
HISPANIC,
OR EVEN HELP NEEDED, I AM 90
DAYS BEHIND ON BILLS.
AND SOME IN THE INDUSTRY WILL
INSIST THEY'D NEVER PUT PEOPLE
AT RISK BY SELLING THEIR DATA.
REMEMBER EPSILON, THE COMPANY
THAT COLLECTS CLOUDS OF
INFORMATION ABOUT YOU?
IN 2014, THEIR THEN CEO EVEN
WENT ON "60 MINUTES,"
TO REASSURE PEOPLE THAT HIS
BUSINESS, IN PARTICULAR,
OPERATED IN A COMPLETELY
ABOVE-BOARD MANNER.
>> IF THERE ARE ABUSES OUT
THERE, WE DON'T BELIEVE THOSE
HAPPEN WITHIN OUR COMPANY.
AND WE WOULD BE THE FIRST TO
RAISE OUR HAND.
>> OH, REALLY?
YOU'D BE THE FIRST TO RAISE YOUR
HAND, WOULD YOU?
THAT'S INTERESTING.
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE LAST YEAR,
EPSILON SETTLED WITH THE DOJ FOR
$150 MILLION FOR FACILITATING
ELDER FRAUD SCHEMES, AFTER
ADMITTING THAT IT SOLD MORE THAN
30 MILLION CONSUMERS' DATA TO
CLIENTS WHO EMPLOYEES KNEW WERE
CARRYING OUT SCAMS.
AND THEY WERE DOING IT FOR
NEARLY A DECADE.
SO I GUESS THAT GUY REALLY
SHOULD'VE BEEN DOING THAT ENTIRE
INTERVIEW WITH HIS
FUCKING HAND IN THE AIR.
AND AT THIS POINT, YOU MAY BE
THINKING, "OKAY.
I THINK I GET IT.
I'M SUFFICIENTLY CREEPED OUT,
THERE IS NOTHING MORE YOU NEED
TO TELL ME."
HOLD ON.
WHAT ABOUT THE FACT THAT
APPS ON YOUR PHONE CAN GIVE AWAY
YOUR EXACT LOCATION TO THIRD
PARTIES, SOMETIMES WITHOUT YOU
KNOWING IT?
THIS FREE FLASHLIGHT APP SETTLED
WITH THE FTC FOR DOING JUST
THAT.
AND THEY'RE NOT ALONE.
TAKE LIFE 360, AN APP GIVING
FAMILIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP
TRACK OF ONE ANOTHER.
YOU MAY'VE SEEN THEIR ADS
FEATURING PARENTS LOOKING
RELIEVED BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE
WHERE THEIR KIDS ARE GOING AND
KNOW WHEN THEY'VE SAFELY REACHED
THEIR DESTINATION.
WELL, GUESS WHAT?
>> A NEW REPORT FROM THE WEBSITE
THE MARKUP SAYS THAT LIFE360
SELLS ITS LOCATION DATA TO ABOUT
A DOZEN DIFFERENT BROKERS
WHO THEN SELL IT
TO MARKETERS.
>> YEAH, IT TURNS OUT THEY
WERE SELLING LOCATION DATA TO
AROUND TWELVE DIFFERENT BROKERS.
IT'S LIKE THOSE OLD COMMERCIALS.
IT'00.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN
ARE?
'CAUSE IF SO, SAME.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU LIFE360
INSISTS THEY'RE NO LONGER DOING
THAT, AND THAT ANYWAY, THEY'D
"DE-IDENTIFIED" THEIR USERS'
DATA BEFORE SELLING IT.
THAT LAST CLAIM IS ACTUALLY VERY
COMMON AMONG BOTH DATA BROKERS
AND THE COMPANIES THEY WORK
WITH, AND IT'S WORTH TAKING
A LOOK AT.
BUT WHILE IT SOUNDS REASSURING,
THE TRUTH IS, IT CAN BE
INCREDIBLY EASY TO FIND OUT
WHO'S BEHIND A NUMBER OR A CODE.
ONE TEAM OF RESEARCHERS EVEN
FOUND THAT 99.98% OF AMERICANS
WOULD BE CORRECTLY RE-IDENTIFIED
IN ANY DATA SET USING JUST
15 DEMOGRAPHIC ATTRIBUTES, AMONG
THEM AGE, GENDER, AND MARITAL
STATUS.
AND THE EASE OF DE-ANONYMIZING
DATA IS SOMETHING WE'VE ACTUALLY
KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS.
>> IN 2006, AOL TURNED OVER A
BUNCH OF THESE ANONYMIZED SEARCH
RECORDS OF THEIR USERS TO THE
PUBLIC, AND IT ONLY TOOK A FEW
SHORT HOURS FOR A REPORTER TO
DECODE WHO USER NUMBER NUMBER
4417749 WAS.
BETWEEN SEARCHES FOR THINGS
LIKE NUMB FINGERS, 60s SINGLE
MEN, AND DOG THAT URINATES
ON EVERYTHING, THE REPORTER
UNCOVERED A WOMAN NAMED
THELMA ARNOLD.
SHE WAS AGE 62.
>> OKAY, I'M NOT SAYING
IT'S AT ALL PLEASANT THAT THAT
HAPPENED, BUT FOR THE RECORD
I AM GLAD THAT IT INTRODUCED ME
TO THELMA ARNOLD.
BECAUSE I LOVE THAT WOMAN.
SHE HASN'T GIVEN UP DESPITE HER
NUMB FINGERS, LACKLUSTER LOVE
LIFE, AND UTTERLY BROKEN DOG.
NONE OF THAT'S STOPPING HER FROM
SHOOTING HER SHOT AND LOOKING
FOR SINGLE MEN IN HER AREA.
WE STAN A MIDDLE-AGED QUEEN WITH
STAMINA.
AS WE LOOKED INTO THIS STORY, WE
CONSTANTLY GOT REMINDERS THAT
NONE OF US ARE REALLY ANONYMOUS
ONLINE.
AT ONE POINT, A RESEARCHER
CLICKED ON THIS COMPANY'S
WEBSITE -- DIDN'T DO ANYTHING
ELSE, JUST WENT THERE ON HIS
BROWSER -- AD LATER THAT DAY,
GOT THIS EMAIL, SAYING THEY KNEW
HE VISITED, AND THAT, "WE OFFER
A PRETTY COOL SERVICE CALLED
WEBSITE VISITOR IDENTIFICATION,
WHICH HELPS BRANDS IDENTIFY
WHO'S BROWSING THEIR WEBSITE.
IN FACT, IT'S HOW WE KNEW HOW TO
SEND YOU THIS QUICK EMAIL!"
WHICH IS JUST OBJECTIVELY
UNSETTLING.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE TRACKING
WHAT MY STAFF MEMBERS ARE DOING
ONLINE, MAINLY BECAUSE I DON'T
WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THEM
HAVE LOOKED UP "WHAT IS JOHN
OLIVER LIKE?"
AND IT'S NOT LIKE DATA BROKERS
ARE SUPER-CAREFUL ABOUT WHO GETS
YOUR SENSITIVE INFORMATION.
YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN A LOCAL NEWS
STATION AMBUSH A PREGNANT WOMAN.
AND A FEW YEARS AGO, CBS BOUGHT
SOME LOCATION DATA FROM BROKERS
AND IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH FOR THEM
TO FIND OUT WHOSE IT WAS, WHERE
THEY LIVED, AND WHAT THEY WERE
DOING.
>> NO NAMES OR PHONE NUMBERS
WERE TIED TO THE DATA, BUT IT
WAS EASY TO FIGURE OUT WHO
EACH PHONE BELONGS TO BASED ON
WHERE THEY SPEND THEIR NIGHTS
HERE IN GREENWICH.
ONE PHONE PINGED IN THE MORNING
INSIDE A $7 MILLION MANSION.
THE PERSON THEN VISITED
A COUNTRY CLUB BEFORE HEADING
DOWNTOWN AND RETURNING HOME.
>> YEAH, THAT DOESN'T FEEL
GREAT, DOES IT?
ALTHOUGH THAT PARTICULAR EXAMPLE
ISN'T THAT SURPRISING.
IF YOU TOLD ME AN INDIVIDUAL
WOKE UP IN A $7 MILLION MANSION
IN GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, AND
MADE ME GUESS WHERE THEY WENT
NEXT, I'D HAVE GONE WITH,
"I DUNNO, A COUNTRY CLUB,
DOWNTOWN TO HUNT HUMANS FOR
SPORT, AND THEN HOME AGAIN."
AND I'D BE PRETTY SURE I WAS
RIGHT.
AND THE THING IS, THAT KIND OF
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION CAN
CAUSE HUGE PROBLEMS.
JUST LAST YEAR A PRIEST WAS
FORCED TO RESIGN AFTER A
CATHOLIC NEWSLETTER SAID IT USED
APP DATA SIGNALS FROM GRINDR TO
MONITOR HIS ACTIVITY, AND
MATCHING HIS PHONE TO HIS
RESIDENCE, ESSENTIALLY OUTING
HIM, WHICH IS A MASSIVE, HARMFUL
INVASION OF PRIVACY, AND
DEFINITELY THE WORST SCANDAL
EVER TO HIT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
ALSO, QUICK SIDE NOTE HERE.
CATHOLIC CHURCH, ARE YOU
ABSOLUTELY SURE JESUS WAS
HOMOPHOBIC?
THINK ABOUT IT.
HE HAD MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL
FRIENDSHIPS WITH WOMEN,
A DISTANT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS
FATHER, AND WHEN HE FOUND OUT HE
WAS GOING TO BE BETRAYED,
HE INVITED EVERYONE TO
A CONFRONTATIONAL DINNER.
IT MIGHT BE WORTH RE-EXAMINING
YOUR THESIS.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS.
MY LIFE'S AN OPEN BOOK, I HAVE
NO SECRETS, SO DATA BROKERS CAN
HAVE AT IT."
EVEN IF THAT'S TRUE FOR YOU,
CONSIDER THERE ARE OTHERS OUT
THERE WHO MIGHT HAVE VERY GOOD
REASONS TO NOT WANT TO BE FOUND.
>> DONNA IS A DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE VICTIM.
WE'RE PROTECTING HER IDENTITY.
ONE OF HER ADDRESSES CAME UP
ON A DATA BROKER SITE.
SHE SAYS THAT'S FRIGHTENING.
>> IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S
TRIED TO KILL YOU, FOR THEM TO
BE ABLE TO JUST TYPE IN
YOUR NAME AND ANY KNOWN
ADDRESS THAT YOU'VE EVER STAYED
IN CAN POP UP, IT'S SCARY
BECAUSE NOW THEY KNOW WAYS
TO START TRYING TO
FIND YOU.
>> RIGHT.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST THEORETICAL.
IT'S HAPPENED.
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, A STALKER
KILLED A FORMER CLASSMATE AFTER
FINDING HER WITH INFORMATION
HE'D BOUGHT FROM A DATA BROKER
FOR $45.
AND IF YOU HAVE A STALKER OR
YOU'RE A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE TO
WANT YOUR INFORMATION REMOVED
FROM THESE PEOPLE SEARCH SITES.
UNFORTUNATELY, EACH HAS ITS OWN
SPECIFIC AND SOMETIMES VERY
COMPLEX PROCESS OF REQUESTING
THE REMOVAL OF INFORMATION.
AND THERE'S NO FEDERAL LAW
REQUIRING THEY HONOR AN OPT-OUT
REQUEST AT ALL.
AND THE LACK OF REGULATION HERE
DOESN'T JUST BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS
WHO MIGHT MEAN YOU HARM.
IT BENEFITS THE GOVERNMENT TOO.
BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM A VERY
ATTRACTIVE LOOPHOLE TO THE
FOURTH AMENDMENT PROTECTION
AGAINST UNREASONABLE SEARCHES
AND SEIZURES.
BECAUSE UNDER THAT, THE
GOVERNMENT NEEDS A WARRANT TO
COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT.
BUT IF IT'S NOT FORCING SOMEONE
TO TURN OVER YOUR DATA, IF IT'S
SIMPLY BUYING IT FROM A DATA
BROKER, THAT'S APPARENTLY FINE.
NO WARRANT NECESSARY.
YOU CAN SEE HOW VALUABLE THAT
WOULD BE TO THEM.
IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
IN FACT, FEDERAL AGENCIES FROM
THE FBI TO I.C.E. HAVE PURCHASED
DATA WITHOUT WARRANTS, PUBLIC
DISCLOSURES, OR ROBUST
OVERSIGHT-TO CARRY OUT
EVERYTHING FROM CRIMINAL
AND THE THING IS, YOU MIGHT NOT
KNOW IF YOUR INFORMATION HAS
BEEN SUPPLIED TO THE GOVERNMENT
BY AN APP.
EVEN THE COMPANY BEHIND THE APP
MIGHT NOT KNOW.
BECAUSE IT MIGHT SELL YOUR INFO
TO A BROKER, WHICH THEN RE-SELLS
IT TO SOMEONE ELSE, WHICH THEN
SUPPLIES IT TO THE GOVERNMENT.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
A COUPLE YEARS BACK, VICE FOUND
THAT THE APP MUSLIM PRO, WHICH
LET MUSLIMS KNOW WHEN TO PRAY,
HAD BEEN SELLING USER LOCATION
DATA TO A BROKER THAT SUPPLIED
INFORMATION TO THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT.
AND WHILE BECAUSE THE CHAIN IS
SO OPAQUE, IT'S HARD TO KNOW
WHAT EXACTLY WAS SOLD OR WHAT
THE GOVERNMENT DID WITH IT, THE
APP'S USERS WERE UNDERSTANDABLY
PRETTY ALARMED.
>> FEELING DISTURBED, APPALLED,
BUT NOT SURPRISED.
>> SARA MOSTAFAVI USED
MUSLIM PRO.
THAT APP HAS SINCE REPORTEDLY
SEVERED TIES WITH ITS DATA
PARTNERS.
>> SO INTRUSIVE.
YOU KNOW, MY CONVERSATION
WITH GOD IS NOT INFORMATION
THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS.
>> YEAH, OF COURSE, IT'S
NOT INFORMATION THE GOVERNMENT
NEEDS.
THERE'S A REASON THE BOOK WASN'T
CALLED, "ARE YOU THERE GOD,
IT'S ME MARGARET AND HOMELAND
SECURITY'S ON THE LINE AS WELL,
HOPE THAT'S COOL."
SO TO RECAP HERE.
WE'VE GOT SHADY DATA BROKERS
WITH VIRTUALLY NO OVERSIGHT
COLLECTING YOUR DATA AND
BUILDING PROFILES THAT CAN TRACK
WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE AND
WHAT YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO DO
OR BUY.
YOU CAN'T EDIT THIS DOSSIER, AND
OTHERS, FROM COPS TO REPORTERS
TO YOUR OWN ABUSERS, CAN FIND
AND USE THIS INFORMATION.
IT'S NOT A GREAT SITUATION.
SO WHAT DO WE DO?
WELL, IT IS A BIT TRICKY,
ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT
ENTIRE ECONOMY OF THE INTERNET
RIGHT NOW IS BASICALLY BUILT ON
THIS PRACTICE.
ALL THE FREE STUFF THAT YOU TAKE
FOR GRANTED ONLINE IS ONLY FREE
BECAUSE YOU ARE THE PRODUCT.
THEY MAKE MONEY BY SELLING YOUR
DATA.
BUT EXPERTS SAY THERE ARE SOME
SMALL STEPS THAT YOU CAN
PERSONALLY TAKE.
YOU CAN USE WEB BROWSERS LIKE
THESE TO HELP BETTER PROTECT YOU
AGAINST THIRD-PARTY TRACKING.
AND IF YOU HAVE AN iPHONE, YOU
CAN GO TO THE PRIVACY MENU, HIT
THE TRACKING BUTTON AND TURN OFF
"ALLOW APPS TO REQUEST TO
TRACK."
BUT THIS SHOULDN'T BE YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY.
YOUR PRIVACY SHOULD BE THE
DEFAULT SETTING.
AND THERE SHOULD BE LEGAL FIXES
TO THIS.
OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE TRIED.
THE E.U. PASSED A LAW TO FORCE
SITES TO DISCLOSE COOKIES AND
ALLOW YOU TO OPT OUT.
BUT I WILL SAY COMPANIES NOW
OFTEN CLEVERLY PRESENT THOSE
OPTIONS IN THE MOST ANNOYING WAY
POSSIBLE, WITH "ACCEPT ALL
COOKIES" AN EASY DEFAULT, BUT IF
YOU WANT TO REJECT THEM, FORCING
YOU TO GO THROUGH MULTIPLE
CONFUSING STEPS FOR NO CLEAR
REASON, WHICH IS VERY SMART TO
BE HONEST.
NO ONE'S GOING TO PUT IN THE
WORK TO REJECT COOKIES JUST TO
SNEAK A PEAK AT AN ARTICLE
TITLED "FIVE TIMES ANDREW
GARFIELD JUST WAS."
YOU'D MUCH RATHER HIT "ACCEPT"
AND ENJOY YOUR REMAINING TIME ON
EARTH GAZING AT THE MOST
EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED SPIDERMAN
TO EVER SPLOOGE THE OOZE.
AS FOR HERE IN THE U.S.,
INDIVIDUAL STATES HAVE TRIED TO
LIMIT DATA BROKERS, BUT
ADVOCATES SAY THAT WHAT IS
REALLY NEEDED IS A COMPREHENSIVE
FEDERAL PRIVACY LAW GOVERNING
THEM.
THIS HAS BEEN PROPOSED FOR YEARS
NOW, BUT NOTHING'S HAPPENED,
FOR A COUPLE OF KEY REASONS.
FIRST, DATA BROKER SPENDING ON
LOBBYING IN 2020 RIVALED THAT OF
FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE.
BUT ALSO, POLITICIANS NOW
FAMOUSLY BUILD THEIR CAMPAIGNS
ON DATA OBTAINED FROM BROKERS.
BOTH PARTIES REGULARLY BOAST
ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY USE DATA.
JUST LISTEN TO FORMER RNC CHAIR
REINCE PREIBUS OPENLY BRAGGING
ABOUT IT.
>> EVERYTHING ABOUT ALMOST EVERY
POTENTIAL VOTER IN GEORGIA IS
KNOWN.
AND IT'S NOT EVEN A JOKE,
THEY -- THEY KNOW WHAT BEER THEY
DRINK, WHAT CAR THEY DRIVE,
HOW MANY KIDS THEY HAVE,
AND ALL THAT DATA IS USED
TO TARGET EVERY SINGLE
VOTER IN GEORGIA.
>> IT'S TRUE.
POLITICIANS RELY ON DATA TO BE
ABLE TO TARGET OUR INTERESTS
WITH PINPOINT PRECISION.
ALTHOUGH THEREFORE I DO WONDER
WHY NO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
HAS YET TARGETED ME PERSONALLY
WITH ADS PROMISING TO FIGHT FOR
THE SHOWER OF MORNING CHUNKS
THAT I SO RICHLY DESERVE.
I GOOGLE IT ALL THE TIME, AND
YOU'D HAVE MY VOTE INSTANTLY.
IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING THAT THE
PEOPLE WHO COULD DO SOMETHING
ABOUT DATA BROKERS ARE SO
ACTIVELY INCENTIVIZED NOT TO.
BUT HERE IS WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE
TO HELP.
BECAUSE INTERESTINGLY, THE ONE
TIME THAT CONGRESS HAS ACTED
QUICKLY TO SAFEGUARD PEOPLE'S
PRIVACY WAS IN THE 1980s, WHEN
ROBERT BORK WAS NOMINATED TO THE
SUPREME COURT, AND A REPORTER
WALKED INTO A LOCAL VIDEO STORE
AND ASKED THE MANAGER WHETHER HE
COULD HAVE A PEEK AT BORK'S
VIDEO RENTAL HISTORY,
AND HE GOT IT.
AS SOON AS CONGRESS REALIZED
THERE WAS NOTHING STOPPING
ANYONE FROM RETRIEVING THEIR
VIDEO RENTAL RECORDS TOO,
THEY FREAKED THE FUCK OUT,
AND LO AND BEHOLD,
THE VIDEO PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT
WAS PASSED WITH
QUITE DELIBERATE SPEED.
SO IT SEEMS WHEN CONGRESS' OWN
PRIVACY IS AT RISK, THEY SOMEHOW
FIND A WAY TO ACT.
AND IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE
NOT ENTIRELY AWARE JUST HOW EASY
IT IS FOR ANYONE -- AND I DO
MEAN ANYONE -- TO GET THEIR
PERSONAL INFORMATION,
WHICH BRINGS ME TO ME.
BECAUSE IN RESEARCHING THIS
STORY, WE REALIZED THERE'S ANY
NUMBER OF PERFECTLY LEGAL BITS
OF FUCKERY THAT WE COULD ENGAGE
IN.
WE COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, USE DATA
BROKERS TO GO FISHING FOR
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, BY CREATING
A DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP CONSISTING
OF MEN AGE 45 AND UP, IN A
FIVE-MILE RADIUS OF THE U.S.
CAPITOL, WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY
VISITED SITES REGARDING, OR
SEARCHED FOR TERMS INCLUDING,
DIVORCE, MASSAGE, HAIR LOSS AND
MIDLIFE CRISIS.
WE COULD CALL THAT GROUP
"CONGRESS AND CABERNET," AND
THEN TARGET THAT LIST WITH ADS
THAT MIGHT ATTRACT THOSE MEN TO
CLICK, LIKE,"MARRIAGE SHOULDN'T
BE A PRISON," OR "CAN YOU VOTE
TWICE?"
WE COULD ALSO THROW IN, "DO YOU
WANT TO READ TED CRUZ EROTIC FAN
FICTION?"
JUST TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
AND IF ANYONE CLICKED, WE'D BE
ABLE TO HARVEST EVEN MORE DATA
FROM THEM, WHICH WE COULD THEN
THEORETICALLY TAKE STEPS TO
DE-ANONYMIZE.
NOW, AM I SAYING THAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY GOING TO DO THAT?
COLLECT ALL THAT RAW INFORMATION
AND STORE IT IN, LET'S SAY,
A MANILA ENVELOPE SOMEWHERE?
WELL, I'M SORRY TO DISAPPOINT
YOU.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
WHY WOULD WE WHEN WE HAVE
ALREADY DONE IT?
BECAUSE ALL THAT RAW DATA IS
CURRENTLY RIGHT IN HERE.
AND HONESTLY, THIS WHOLE
EXERCISE WAS FUCKING CREEPY.
WE RAN THOSE THREE TARGETED ADS
THIS WEEK IN THE CAPITOL HILL
AREA, AND TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF
JUST HOW MANY CLICKS WE GOT...
IT WAS VERY MUCH NOT ZERO.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE?
BECAUSE SO DO I!
PLEASE COME WITH ME.
LET'S START.
LET'S ME START WITH THE VERY
FIRST HIT WE GOT.
35 PM ON TUESDAY
AFTERNOON FROM AROUND THE
EMBASSY ROW AREA, WHEN A MAN
FITTING OUR DESCRIPTION CLICKED
ON THE TED CRUZ AD.
MEANING WE NOW HAVE HIS
IP ADDRESS AND DEVICE ID, AND
ALSO KNOW THAT HE DID IT ON AN
ANDROID PHONE.
SO WE COULD NOW TAKE STEPS TO
IDENTIFY HIM.
JUST LIKE WE COULD WITH ALL
THESE OTHERS WHO CLICKED ON ONE
OF OUR ADS IN THE CAPITOL HILL
AREA THIS WEEK, INCLUDING AT
LEAST THREE WHO MAY'VE BEEN
INSIDE THE CAPITOL BUILDING
ITSELF.
ONE OF WHOM CLICKED ON THE
"CAN YOU VOTE TWICE?" AD
ONE OF WHOM CLICKED ON THE
DIVORCE ONE, AND ANOTHER WHO
CLICKED ON THE EROTIC FICTION,
WHICH WAS DISTRESSINGLY POPULAR.
AND IF YOU'RE THINKING,
"HOW ON EARTH
IS ANY OF THIS LEGAL?"
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
IT SHOULDN'T BE.
AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE
A LEGISLATOR WHO'S FEELING
A LITTLE NERVOUS RIGHT NOW ABOUT
WHETHER YOUR INFORMATION IS IN
THIS ENVELOPE AND YOU'RE
TERRIFIED ABOUT WHAT I MIGHT DO
WITH IT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO
CHANNEL THAT WORRY INTO MAKING
SURE THAT I CANNOT ACTUALLY DO
ANYTHING.
ANYWAY, SLEEP WELL.
THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
GOOD NIGHT!