What is Watch It?

Watch It is a browser extension by Search Tools similar to other browser extensions by the same publisher such as Keep It Secure, Keep It Protected, and others. The Watch It extension is currently compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Furthermore, the extension is available to download in the Google Web Store repository like other browser attachments including legitimate ones, although the browser extension can be manually downloaded it is often deceptively promoted as something it is not and may perform actions that violate a user’s privacy.

The Watch It extension is self-described as a “free extension that lets you browse movies and TV shows quickly and easily.”

From the publisher:

Do you love watching tv shows and movies, but don’t have time to search for them? Well, look no further! We’ve created a browser extension that will help you find amazing content quickly and easily. Our extension is designed to work with all of the most popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. With just a few clicks, you’ll be able to find the best TV shows and movies online!

Does Watch It work?

The question as to whether or not Watch It works is up for debate. Most of the time, the extension is promoted as something it is not, such as a necessary update for a computer or device, and, therefore, the extension does not work as promoted as it is not a required component in any situation.

In Chrome Web Store, the Watch It extension is promoted by the publisher as a free extension that lets you browser movies and TV shows quickly and easily and this may also be seen as a deceptive description since the extension does not allow you to browse actual movies and tv shows available to watch, download, or rent, and instead redirects the internet user to a third-party website that may contain an article about a movie such as https://www.whattowatch.com/, search result, sponsored search results, and advertisement.

In conclusion, the Watch It extension does not work as promoted is a privacy concern and causes other issues explained below.

Is Watch It safe?

No, the Watch It extension for Google Chrome is not safe to use. While testing the extension for Google Chrome we found inconsistencies with the publisher’s description and actual procedures of the extension. In addition, the extension restricted access to Chrome’s extension settings making it difficult to uninstall and view the description for it and other browser attachments. This is a privacy concern as it makes it hard to uninstall the extension and may hide other browser attachments from the user.

The Watch It extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge is recognized as unethical and deceptive for several reasons:

• Deceptive and unethical advertising practices
• Browser performance issues
• May restrict access to Settings and Extensions
• Difficult to uninstall

In addition to the above, the Watch It extension is a high privacy and security risk because it is often advertised in advertisements by malicious third-party advertising networks that are known to show ads for malware, potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), and other serious security threats and it reads and changes private information. When the extension is installed it has permission to read your browsing history and read and change all your data on the websites you visit even when in incognito mode.

How to remove Watch It

Follow these instructions to remove the Watch It extension from Chrome:

1. Click the Extensions icon (puzzle piece) to bring down a small menu of all extensions.
2. Locate the Watch It extension in the list, click the More actions icon (3 vertical dots), and select Remove from Chrome…

Follow these instructions to automatically remove malware with Malwarebytes. We recommend Malwarebytes as they have a free version, a free trial of the Premium version, and a Premium version that can all scan and remove malware. The only difference between the free versions and other others is that the free version is only a scan and removal tool while the others contain active protection that can stop malware in real and other security features that keep you protected online.

1. Download the Malwarebytes setup file for the version you wish to use.
2. Locate the setup file (MBSetup.exe) and open it to begin the installation process.
3. Once Malwarebytes is installed click the Scan button.
4. When finished, Malwarebytes will show a list of results including the detection names. Click the Quarantine button to remove all selected threats.
5. Malwarebytes may require a system reboot. If so, restart your computer to complete the process.

Although Watch It is a browser extension that can be removed like other any other browser extension it is still promoted in advertisements by questionable third-party advertising networks that promote malware and potential threats and the extension is often promoted on websites that aren’t permitted to use safe ad services such as Google Ads due to the content they contain which may include malware, content promoting scams, copyrighted content, and illegal torrents. Due to these factors, it is strongly advised to scan your computer or device for malware and potential threats that put the privacy and functionality of your computer or phone at risk.