Ways to Prevent your ISP from Watching You
Even with privacy laws about what your internet service provider ISP can or cannot do with your data in place, it is sad to know that your internet provider can see everything you do online. This is not to say that your internet provider is listening in on your conversations or spying on you all the time. What ISP does, however, is that they capture, keep, and probably sell some of your personal data.
What exactly does your ISP know about you?
The amount of information your internet provider can see depends on many factors. The two most common determinants include the IP address assigned to you by your ISP when registering for the service and the type of information you freely share online.
If, for instance, you are the cautious type of person who doesn’t share any of their personal information online, then your ISP can only gather information about you based purely on your active IP address. This may include:
● The URLs you visit
● The amount of time you spend on particular web pages
● The pages you frequent
● Your online/offline activities (when you usually log in and off)
However, the situation may worsen if you are the type who willingly shares personal information online (sadly, this is rampant today due to social media). Your ISP will have more on you, including:
● Your social media information
● Your email address
● Your phone number
● Your relationships
● Your exact current location (if this particular setting is turned on)
Why do they Track your Data?
Your ISP uses the data they get from tracking you to analyze your sexual orientation, political stance, and generally the type of content that interests you.
This data is not used to spy on you but to do a whole lot of other things. The most common way ISPs use your data is to sell your browsing history to advertising companies who use it to serve you more targeted ads.
How to Prevent your ISP from Tracking You
Use Tor Browser to Browse Anonymously
By using Tor, you’ll hide your tracks and reinforce the security around your web browsing. This browser can channel your traffic through various virtual tunnels, making it almost impossible for someone to trace you. You will be able to move from one website to the next without leaving any traces.
Use a VPN
A VPN can also help you avoid being tracked. What VPNs do is that they encrypt all your browsing data and send it through a secure passage to your termination point. This way, your ISP will not be able to spy on your data along the way.
Conclusion
It is clear that your ISP tracks you, but there are steps you can take to claim back your privacy and enjoy all that the internet has to offer. We have highlighted just a few points, but there is so much you can do to prevent your ISP from watching you.
