Why is my Internet Service Provider Watching Me

If you thought you have privacy when you’re surfing the ‘net, you’re sadly mistaken. Every site you visit, every email you send, goes through the server of your ISP. As you might have heard recently on the news, the only way to guarantee your security is to use an anonymous proxy. It sounds mysterious, doesn’t it? First, you need to know why you may need one.

According to Colorado Law School professor Paul Ohm, there may be more to worry about than we know. Ohm says, “…almost no other entity poses a greater threat to privacy than the ISP.” While some Internet users are aware of this, most haven’t entertained any major concerns about all their private information that is transmitted. Up until now, ISPs haven’t had the technology to really play around with people’s privacy.

Those are the operative words: up until now. Deep packet inspection gear is being developed by several software companies that can not only collect this data, it can sort it so it can be sold to advertisers so you can be targeted by marketers preying on your harvested interests. The companies with this software are offering large amounts of cash to ISPs for this information. What ISP company is going to want to turn down money? Another aspect is that the government, in the interests of being able to wiretap a user’s Internet data if they are suspected of acting against this country, has required ISPs to install this kind of gear. Just in case.

Is this ethical? Probably not. Is it legal? There is some debate on that. Many think that collecting users’ information and selling it to advertisers breaks wiretapping laws already on the books. Congress has been asking questions about the legality of this as well. The result is many ISPs have dropped the idea… at least for now. The companies who make the deep packet inspection gear are champing at the bit. They can see the piles of money they can make from advertisers by giving the information to target niche markets. Why do they want to do this? Because they think that you will pay more attention to the ads you see if they relate to your interests. Say you are a dog fancier. If your ads are targeted to dog health, dog products and dog foods, they’re betting that you’re more likely to click on those ads and check them out. Your spouse may be more interested in tennis. They will be targeted with tennis related ads.

Your ISPs want a piece of this most lucrative pie. Can you blame them, really? It is almost like getting free money. But those in favor of privacy compare this tracking of your preferences to the post office opening your mail to help them decide which ads and catalogs to send to your mailbox.

When Congress began looking into this issue, more people began to take notice. Many of the largest internet access providers now are claiming they have not participated in any of the trial runs of these programs. Others have written to say they have ended the trials they were running.

But how can you really be sure your ISPs can be trusted? One of the best tools in your personal arsenal against invasion of your privacy is to use an anonymous proxy. Using a proxy helps protect your personal information and allows you to shop securely online. It prevents your surfing from being tracked.

Anonymous surfing is ensured by the proxy changing your IP frequently. At one moment it may look like you’re coming from somewhere in the United States… an hour later you may be surfing from a server in Europe. When you use the Internet, you can’t help but leave an electronic trail showing where you’ve been. When a proxy changes your IP address, the trail leads back to the proxy and not to you.

Your ISP will not be able to keep an accurate log of your usage. All the communications you send are encrypted so your ISP and even criminals who may be monitoring your wifi use cannot read your information.  If you’re traveling, using an anonymous proxy makes your non-secure connection from your hotel safe and secure. Other unsecured networks like airports, coffee shops and other public internet locations suddenly allow you a secure connection.

If you have a business, using an anonymous proxy allows you to check out your competitors’ websites without their knowledge. If they know you’re looking at their site, they can send you to a dummy site to mislead you. A proxy also allows you to avoid restrictive posting limits. If you’re looking to publicize your own website, you can do so anonymously so they can’t track it to you. Likewise, if you’ve been banned from a site, you can gain access easily and keep it due to the changing IP address.

As you can see, there are some security issues you need to worry about online. It’s a terrible thing when you can’t even trust your ISP. But by using an anonymous proxy, you can bypass many of the dangers this tracking exposes you to. It is useful not only for businesses, but to protect your own personal information.

Tweet This Post