<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">The Internet has become an integral part of our daily activities. Whether you're browsing for information, shopping online, downloading files, or chatting with friends, your internet service provider (ISP) plays a central role in connecting you to the digital world. But how much of your activity can your ISP really monitor? Understanding this is key to maintaining your privacy and enhancing network security.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">This detailed blog will break down what your ISP can and cannot see during common online activities, provide tips for secure browsing, and explain how tools like VPNs and Tor can protect your internet data.</p>

<h2 class="font-bold text-h3 leading-[40px] pt-[21px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">Can Your ISP See What You Do Online?</h2>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">When discussing the extent of ISP visibility into your online activities, the answer depends on the type of connection (HTTP vs. HTTPS) and the tools you use.</p>

<h3 class="font-bold text-h4 leading-[30px] pt-[15px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">1. Browsing the Internet</h3>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">When searching for something online, like using Google to look up health information, your ISP cannot see your search queries or results. What your ISP <b><strong class="font-bold">can</strong></b> see is that you're connected to Google. If you click on a specific website, for instance, a hospital's blog, your ISP knows you're connected to that website but not the specific blog post you're reading.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">Why? This all comes down to the <b><strong class="font-bold">Domain Name System (DNS)</strong></b> and encryption protocols.</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1"><b><strong class="font-bold">DNS Explained</strong></b></li>
</ul>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">When you access a website, your computer queries a DNS server to retrieve the website's IP address. This request is unencrypted, so your ISP can see which domains you're visiting, such as “examplehospital.com.”</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1"><b><strong class="font-bold">HTTPS Protects Your Data</strong></b></li>
</ul>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">When you use websites that are secured with HTTPS, the information exchanged between you and the website is encrypted. This means your ISP cannot track which specific pages you visit or what content you view on those pages. With HTTP (unencrypted sites), however, all your content and actions can be monitored by your ISP.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="font-bold">Pro Tip</strong></b>: Always pay attention to your browser warnings about unencrypted HTTP websites—they pose significant security risks.</p>

<h3 class="font-bold text-h4 leading-[30px] pt-[15px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">2. Using Torrents and Downloading Files</h3>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">When downloading content, the level of visibility your ISP has largely depends on the protocol used.</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1"><b><strong class="font-bold">Direct Downloads via HTTPS</strong></b></li>
</ul>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">When you download a file via HTTPS, your ISP knows you downloaded something from the file-sharing platform, but it cannot see the file's contents. Using HTTPS ensures a layer of encryption that safeguards your data.</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1"><b><strong class="font-bold">Downloading Torrents</strong></b></li>
</ul>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">With torrents, your ISP has more visibility. It can identify the specific torrent file downloaded and even access the file by downloading it themselves. While ISPs may not see the file's content directly, the lack of encryption makes torrenting more exposed.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">To safeguard your activities, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) hides your IP and encrypts the data you exchange.</p>

<h3 class="font-bold text-h4 leading-[30px] pt-[15px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">3. Online Shopping</h3>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">When shopping online, your ISP knows you're connected to a shopping platform like Amazon or eBay. However, due to HTTPS encryption on these websites, your overall shopping activity—like your purchases—remains private.</p>

<h3 class="font-bold text-h4 leading-[30px] pt-[15px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">4. Emails and Messaging Apps</h3>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">Thankfully, emails and popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram use encryption to safeguard your communication. If you're sending emails through Gmail or accessing WhatsApp, your ISP can only see you're connected to the platform but cannot view your messages.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">For emails sent via email clients like Thunderbird, encryption is handled in the background, protecting your sensitive information.</p>

<h2 class="font-bold text-h3 leading-[40px] pt-[21px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">Tools to Protect Your Privacy</h2>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">Enhancing your privacy on the internet requires adopting the right tools and practices to reduce your ISP’s ability to monitor your activities.</p>

<h3 class="font-bold text-h4 leading-[30px] pt-[15px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">1. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)</h3>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">A VPN encrypts all your internet traffic and routes it through a third-party server. This means your ISP can only see that you're connected to the VPN, but not the content of your internet activities.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="font-bold">Things to Keep in Mind</strong></b>:</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1">Choose a reputable VPN provider. Free VPNs might compromise your privacy by selling your data to third parties.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="2">A VPN is ideal for tasks like browsing securely, streaming, or downloading torrents.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="font-bold text-h4 leading-[30px] pt-[15px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">2. Try Tor (The Onion Router)</h3>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">For advanced anonymity, Tor sends your data through multiple volunteer-operated servers, ensuring no single server knows both your IP address and the website you’re visiting.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="font-bold">Key Features of Tor</strong></b>:</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1">Your internet activity passes through three computers (nodes). The first node sees your IP address, the middle node forwards encrypted data, and the final node knows only the destination website.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="2">Ideal for accessing specific websites anonymously.</li>
</ul>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr"><i><em class="italic">Note</em></i>: Avoid using Tor for activities like logging into personal accounts to ensure anonymity.</p>

<h2 class="font-bold text-h3 leading-[40px] pt-[21px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">Tor vs. VPN - Which Should You Use?</h2>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">The right solution depends on your unique privacy needs.</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1"><b><strong class="font-bold">VPN</strong></b></li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="2">Best for secure browsing, streaming, and downloading torrents.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="3">Provides faster speeds compared to Tor.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="4">Allows users to hide their browsing activities from ISPs.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="5"><b><strong class="font-bold">Tor</strong></b></li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="6">Ideal for anonymity, especially when accessing specific websites without revealing your IP.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="7">A great option for journalists, activists, or anyone navigating environments requiring high privacy.</li>
</ul>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">Both tools offer benefits, so choose based on the level of security and speed you need.</p>

<h2 class="font-bold text-h3 leading-[40px] pt-[21px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">Final Tips for Secure Browsing</h2>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">To further enhance your internet security and privacy, consider these cybersecurity tips:</p>

<ul class="pt-[9px] pb-[2px] pl-[24px] list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pt-[5px] pt-[5px]">
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="1">Use HTTPS websites whenever possible. A quick way to identify secure websites is by looking for a padlock icon in the browser address bar.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="2">Enable DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) in your browser to encrypt DNS requests.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="3">Regularly update your browser and firewall for added protection.</li>
 	<li class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] my-[5px] [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ol]:!pb-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pt-0 [&amp;&gt;ul]:!pb-0" value="4">Avoid public Wi-Fi networks unless you’re using a VPN.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="font-bold text-h3 leading-[40px] pt-[21px] pb-[2px] [&amp;_a]:underline-offset-[6px] [&amp;_.underline]:underline-offset-[6px]" dir="ltr">Take Charge of Your Data Privacy</h2>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">Understanding what your ISP can see and adopting effective tools to safeguard your online presence is essential in this digital age. From encrypted browsing to secure file downloads, incorporating VPNs and Tor into your cybersecurity strategy can go a long way in ensuring privacy.</p>
<p class="text-body font-regular leading-[24px] pt-[9px] pb-[2px]" dir="ltr">Start today by making these changes to protect your online identity. Empower yourself with the knowledge and tools that put you in control of your digital information. For more advanced cybersecurity tips, explore our blog and learn how to maximize your privacy!</p>