Miscellaneous 3 min. read

Why you should be scared of ISPs selling your web history

Why you should be scared of ISPs selling your web history

The best Internet security VPN

You’ve probably heard the news about the US senate voting to kill off the privacy rules set by the FCC last year that prevented Internet service providers (ISPs) from selling your web information to third parties without your consent. You probably think this is not good, but do you really know why?

To help you understand the possible implications of FCC’s privacy rules being amended, we listed down five reasons why you should be worried.

ISPs will have access to your data without permission

This is the main reason why a lot of Internet users and supporters of net neutrality are worried about the roll back of FCC’s privacy provisions. If signed into law, ISPs will no longer need your permission if they ever decide to monetize your web search and app usage history, you’ll have no control over how they do it.

You won’t know who receives your info

In addition to not having control over how ISPs will collect your information, you also won’t be able to know who they sell the information to. This means that your information can be acquired even by a company that you dislike or don’t have much care for, and you wouldn’t know how they’ll use your info.

You’ll be bombarded with targeted ads against your will

Excessive exposure to advertisements and marketing promotions can be off-putting for a lot of Internet users. In a study published by Adobe in 2012 about online advertising, 68 percent of the respondents described online ads as annoying, while 51 percent called them distracting. If the rollback is implemented, Internet users will become more exposed to online ads like never before.

Others will know the type of content you consume

Under the new privacy provisions, almost all ads that appear on the pages you visit will be tailored to fit your interests. Because of this, it will be easier for others to tell the type of online content that you consume. This can be embarrassing for a lot of users.

ISPs may charge you extra if you want privacy

In 2015, AT&T monetized web browser data by analyzing the Internet habits of users to deliver targeted ads. Under the program, dubbed “Internet Preferences”, the company also provided an “opt out” option wherein customers can avoid having their web info analyzed by paying an additional fee. The company stopped the program just before the implementation of FCC’s privacy rules last year. If those rules were to be revoked, AT&T will be able to implement the program again, with other carriers possibly following suit.

Fortunately, there is a way to circumvent all of these. If you don’t want third parties to get ahold of your web history and app use information, the best way to protect your data is by using an Internet security VPN such as Hotspot Shield.

Secure your data via an Internet security VPN

Hotspot Shield is a free download Internet security VPN that can secure your data during transit. It protects your web traffic from spies and snoopers by providing an encrypted tunnel for the data to pass through. With Hotspot Shield’s advanced encryption technology, you won’t have to worry about unwanted interception of your data by third parties, including ISPs, advertisers, and government authorities.

Click here to download Hotspot Shield

To learn more about this Internet security VPN and its other nifty features, visit the Hotspot Shield website.

Protect your web history from ISPs by installing the best Internet security VPN today!

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