Search for the term ” hide internet activity from ISP“, and you’ll find a few methods to try. More and more people are doing just this… and there’s a very pressing reason why.
Would you be happy to tell a stranger in the street about your browsing and online shopping habits? Would you want to go into detail about what you’ve bought recently, your proclivities and your political views?
If you answered no to both these questions, you might be horrified to learn that Internet service providers (ISPs) can now record your online activity. These huge corporations can access all of your personal data if you’re accessing the Internet from the U.S. – which is a terrifying thought for most people.
Why do these massive firms want to know what you do online? Well, the information about your consumer habits is valuable… they can sell it to the highest bidder. And they do. The information is used to deliver ads and marketing materials in the most cost-effective way.
Searched the Internet for washing machines lately? Don’t be surprised if you’re bombarded with ads for washing machines over the next few weeks – on all your devices.
This is your private data, and despite the fact that ISPs are allowed to harvest it, you don’t have to let them. There are actually a few ways to hide Internet activity from an ISP. Take a look at your options, and take the first step to protecting your personal information from multinational corporations.
Tor
While Tor isn’t 100% reliable, it’s often a good option for the casual Internet user. This browser client delivers an encrypted browsing service that allows you to hide you activity from ISPs. While this method works well with most major browsers, it doesn’t offer the same protection for mobile apps and other non-browser Internet activity. The Internet of Things is also beyond the scope of a Tor client. And the greedier ISPs are now banning this privacy tool altogether.
The way we interact with the Internet is changing dramatically, and Tor clients aren’t keeping pace.
HTTPS Extension
The HTTPS browser extension guarantees a private connection for each and every visitor to a website. This means that everything you browse, purchase or inquire about is kept private – ISPs can’t access it. This is a great option for casual shopping, but it has its flaws. For example, the ISP may still know that you’ve visited the site. They’d be able to deduce what you’re looking for, and deliver ads accordingly. Information about your personal preferences would still be fed to ISPs, and sold to the highest bidder.
Virtual Private Network
A virtual private network (VPN) is perhaps the best way to ensure that all of your Internet data remains private. Think of this as a maximum security prison for your personal online information. It can also be similar to a virtual browser, that is physically separated from the local system and runs entirely in the cloud. If you’re determined to keep all of your online activity a secret, this is the option for you.
A VPN is so effective because it provides two different types of privacy protection. Firstly, all of your data is encrypted, so even if it were to fall into the wrong hands, it would be useless. But a VPN is also an anonymous network that can’t be traced by ISPs. This means you can hide your browser activity from ISPs and protect yourself from hackers at the same time.
By subscribing to a VPN service, you’re effectively hiding all of your Internet-connected devices. As long as the device is connected to the VPN-enabled network, all of your information is protected. This is because the network itself (usually your home or office WiFi) is encrypted and completely anonymous. Everything that connects to the network is hidden from view.
A VPN also allows you to utilize anonymous IPs to mask your identity and geographical location. This can come in handy if you need to access foreign websites and online services that aren’t available where you are.
Proxy
A proxy is similar to a VPN in that it fools servers into thinking that you’re somewhere you aren’t. A secure server like ProxyEmpire (http://proxyempire.com) can act as the middleman between you and the servers you access. The proxy intercepts your traffic and replicates it remotely.
So, if you’re in the UK and you want to access your U.S. Netflix account, you can use a proxy to fool Netflix into thinking you’re at home in America. Your interactions are being picked up by the proxy and delivered to Netflix via a third-party server in the U.S.
But a word of warning about proxies: they don’t offer anywhere near the level of security and privacy a VPN does. In essence, all a proxy is doing is fooling other servers into believing you’re somewhere else. This is great for accessing geo-restricted content, but it falls a little short if you need unequivocal privacy while online.
A Final Word of Warning
These are the main options available to people at home who don’t have in-depth knowledge of Internet technology. Each of them are relatively easy to set up, and they all deliver a reasonable level of protection from snooping ISPs.
However, private data is hugely valuable, and unscrupulous ISPs will go to extraordinary lengths to evade privacy measures and capture your data anyway. By utilizing a VPN client, you’re effectively becoming invisible online. As long as the device you’re using is connecting to the Internet via the protected network, you’re good to go.
Don’t take chances with your personal data. Implement a VPN client today, and browse the Internet with complete confidence.