Understanding How Your ISP Monitors Your Online Activity

Tech News, Tech Tips

What You’ll Learn:

Discover how much your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can see about your online activities and browsing history.
Understand the difference between encrypted and unencrypted sites and their implications for your privacy.
Find actionable settings you can change to enhance your online privacy and minimize your ISP’s access.
Learn practical tips and tools, such as using DNS over HTTPS and VPNs, to help obscure your web activity from your ISP.

Your ISP’s Role in Monitoring Your Internet Usage

When you connect to the internet through your ISP, they have access to a wealth of information about your online activity. This is primarily due to the connection itself, which requires a modem that translates signals from the ISP and assigns a unique MAC address. The ISP links this MAC address with your account, giving them insight into your internet habits, how much data you’re using, a key factor in billing and service management.

According to the 2024 Pew Research Center, 79% of internet users are concerned about how their data is collected and managed by ISPs. Therefore understanding what exactly ISPs can track is essential.

The Websites You Visit Are Not a Secret

If you’ve ever wondered whether your ISP can see the websites you visit, the simple answer is yes. They track every URL you access, and this tracking occurs even if you use private browsing or “incognito mode.” When you type a website into your browser, your device communicates with the Domain Name System (DNS) to get the website’s IP address. This request gets recorded by your ISP, noting the time and date of your visit and the amount of data exchanged.

A 2024 study by the Atlantic Council indicates that ISPs are increasingly involved in data collection, often sharing summarized browsing data with third parties. So, even if you clear your browser history, your ISP still retains records of your online behavior.

The Encryption Factor: What They Can’t See

Not all data is equal, however. When you connect to a secure website (indicated by HTTPS and a padlock icon), while your ISP can see that you accessed the site, they’re unable to view your specific activities on it. This encryption means any further browsing, searches, or communications happening within that site remain private.

To put it another way, while your ISP knows you visited YouTube, they don’t know which videos you watched thanks to encryption. If a site lacks this encryption, however, your ISP can see everything.

Email Privacy and ISP Access

When it comes to email, if you’re using a service like Gmail, your ISP won’t have access to the contents of your emails due to the encryption protocols in place. The same applies to sites that utilize SSL/TLS protocols for secure connections. If you’re using less secure email applications, make sure you’re following the best practices for email settings to secure your communications.

According to 2024 data from Gartner, nearly 60% of organizations using encryption experienced fewer data breaches, highlighting the importance of securing your communications.

While ISPs need to track your activity primarily for operational reasons, they also have the legal right to share some of your data with third parties, often without explicit consent. Many ISPs include this information in their lengthy terms and conditions, which can make it easy to overlook. This opens the door for your data to be sold to advertisers or data brokers, leading to targeted ads and profiling without your consent.

Practical Steps to Improve Your Online Privacy

If you’re not comfortable with your ISP tracking your online activity, there are several steps you can take to enhance your privacy.

Use DNS over HTTPS: This encrypts your DNS queries, making it difficult for your ISP to see what websites you are checking. Most modern browsers, including Chrome and Firefox, now support this. To enable it, navigate to the security settings in your browser and turn on secure DNS.
Utilize a VPN: A Virtual Private Network encrypts all your internet traffic, making it more challenging for your ISP to see what you’re up to, although they will still know that you are using a VPN.
Choose Secure Browsers: Consider using browsers known for their privacy features, such as Brave or Firefox. These provide enhanced privacy options and block ad trackers by default.
Be Cautious with Public Wi-Fi: Using public Wi-Fi can expose your data to others, including potential attackers. Always use a secure connection protocol or a VPN when on public networks.
Read the Terms and Conditions: Make yourself aware of how your ISP handles your data by thoroughly reading their terms, which will explain your rights and their obligations related to data sharing.

So in summary

Your ISP does monitor your online activities and gathers data for various operational and legal reasons. While they can see which sites you visit, they cannot view encrypted interactions. By implementing specific privacy practices, you can limit the visibility of your online behaviors effectively.

Checklist

Review and enable DNS over HTTPS in your browser settings.
Use a trustworthy VPN service to encrypt your internet traffic.
Switch to a privacy-focused browser if you haven’t already.
Regularly check how your personal information is managed by your ISP by reading their policies.

FAQ

Can my ISP see my internet activity?
Yes, your ISP can monitor the websites you visit and the data you use, but they cannot see the specific activities on encrypted sites.

What can I do to protect my online privacy?
You can enable DNS over HTTPS, use a VPN, select secure browsers, and ensure you’re on secure connections (HTTPS) to enhance your privacy online.

Does using incognito mode hide my browsing from my ISP?
No, incognito mode only prevents tracking by your local device/browser but does not disguise your activity from your ISP.

Can my ISP see what I do on email?
If you’re using a secure email service like Gmail, your ISP cannot read the contents of your emails. However, be cautious with unsecured connections.

What does my ISP do with my data?
ISPs may sell summarised data to third-party advertisers or data brokers, often outlined in their terms of service.