Miscellaneous 3 min. read

Don’t let ISPs monetize your web history: Use Hotspot Shield

Don’t let ISPs monetize your web history: Use Hotspot Shield

The best Internet security VPN

From Internet service providers (ISPs) being able to sell user web history to third parties, to advertisers possibly bombarding users with ads, the looming elimination of the FCC’s privacy rules can lead to privacy and anonymity anxiety for a lot of users in the US. Fortunately, there are a number of ways Internet users can make it harder for their ISPs to access their big data. Take a look at four of them below.

  1. Opt out

When AT&T rolled out its “Internet Preferences” project in 2015, which allowed it to obtain and analyze user web data in exchange for offering its data packages at cheaper prices, it provided an “opt out” option for those who wish to keep their data from being used by the carrier.

If the FCC’s current privacy provisions were to be nullified, there is a chance that ISPs will offer opt out options, which is one way of keeping your web history and app use information private.

  1. HTTPS

HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol enabling the exchange of info between users and websites. When “https://” is displayed at the beginning of the link of the website you’re visiting, it means that all information exchanged between you and the said website is encrypted.

While the HTTPS protocol doesn’t entirely hide the sites that you visit from your ISP, it can limit the amount of information that they can capture to just that. While not all websites employ HTTPS, it can be helpful when visiting those that do.

  1. Tor network

The Tor network is another way to protect your web traffic data from being captured by third party entities, including ISPs. What the Tor network does is that it hides a user’s web usage information by directing their traffic through thousands of relays across a free worldwide network. This makes it significantly difficult to monitor, capture and trace data back to the user, effectively protecting user privacy and anonymity.

The Tor network software is free to download, although there are a few restrictions such as not using Google and Windows, to name a few, for security reasons.

  1. Internet security VPN

A VPN is a type of software that allows an end user from one private network to access another private network over a public network such as the Internet. When a user uses a VPN, it allows that user to connect to another network and communicate as if he’s actually part of that network.

A VPN user from France, for example, can connect to a VPN server in the US and browse online as if they are US residents. This not only hides their traffic from being monitored, it also allows them to block online content that is restricted to the US, among other features.

Why choose an Internet security VPN?

Among the ways users can protect their web information from being captured by third parties, including their ISPs, the best is arguably a VPN. This is because opt out options are not guaranteed to be offered by all ISPs, the HTTPS protocol can only protect your web data to a certain extent, and Tor network users must adhere to certain restrictions to make sessions safe. VPNs, on the other hand, are effective in hiding user web data and many of them are also available for free.

Secure your web data from ISPs with Hotspot Shield

If you’re looking for a VPN for your online privacy and anonymity concerns, choose Hotspot Shield! Hotspot Shield is an Internet security VPN that lets you browse online without having to worry about your data being captured.

Click here to download Hotspot Shield

It hides your data from being monitored through advanced encryption, which provides a safe tunnel for your online information to pass through, ensuring anonymity and privacy when surfing online. If you want to learn more about this and Hotspot Shield’s other features, visit our website.

What are you waiting for? Don’t let your ISP monetize your web history by downloading the best Internet security VPN on your device today!

For more tips on Internet safety, anonymity, malware protection and content access, please read our blog!

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