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Can I Ask My ISP for Internet History?

ISPs keep a record of your online activities, but they probably won't share it

By Robert Earl Wells III Updated on July 9, 2021 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Home Networking ISP The Wireless Connection Routers & Firewalls Network Hubs Broadband Ethernet Installing & Upgrading Wi-Fi & Wireless

What to Know

You can't get your browsing history from your ISP, but there are other ways to view your search history and protect your privacy online. The U.S. government mandates that ISPs keep records of customers' internet history for at least 90 days. If you don't want your ISP (or the government or hackers) to track your internet history, invest in a virtual private network (VPN). This article explains why you can't, generally speaking, obtain your browsing history from your ISP.

Can I Ask My ISP for My Internet History

While it's true that your ISP tracks your internet history, most ISPs will not give out this information, even to the customer. Nonetheless, it never hurts to ask. The only way to know for sure is to check with your provider. Getty Images/Inspurify Images

Can My ISP See My Internet History

Your ISP keeps records of the websites you visit and the files you download. All ISPs have a privacy policy explaining how customer data is used, stored, and secured. Depending on how the website is encrypted (whether through HTTP or HTTPS), your ISP may only be able to see the domain names of sites you visit, or they might see the entire URL. Most ISPs claim to keep your data confidential, so no one is actively reviewing your internet history. However, if asked for records from the government, they must comply with law enforcement. For example, there have been cases of ISP records being used to prosecute online piracy. If you don't want your ISP to track your internet history, look into getting a virtual private network (VPN), which disguises your IP address to protect your privacy online.

How Long Does an ISP Keep Browsing History

In the United States, the Electronic Communication Transactional Records Act of 1996 requires internet service providers to maintain all customer records for at least 90 days. The requirement is even longer in some other countries. It's common practice for ISPs to discard most of that data after this time, although they may keep records related to billing. Review your ISP's privacy policy to ensure your data isn't being sold to third parties for marketing purposes.

How Do I Check My Internet Service History

Although your ISP most likely won't hand over your internet history, there are ways to check your browser's search history. If you have children, consider downloading some parental control software to prevent kids from seeing adult sites. If you're concerned about mysterious online purchases appearing on your account, you should contact your bank. How to Check Router History FAQ Can parents ask their ISP for their children's browsing history? It depends. As with requesting an ISP for your browsing history, most ISPs will not give out this information, but it doesn't hurt to ask. If parents are concerned about their child's browsing history, they could opt to view browsing history on the web browsers on their devices. How do you hide your internet history from your ISP? There are several ways to obscure your internet history from your ISP. You can use a private browser such as Tor, use a VPN to bypass the ISP, or use the HTTPS Everywhere browser extension to increase web browser security. Can ISPs sell your internet history? It depends on where you live. In the U.S., ISPs can collect and sell non-identifying data. If you're concerned, Apple and Cloudfare are proposing a new DNS standard that would bypass your ISP so it wouldn't be able to see and sell your history. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Why Incognito Mode May Not Be Private and What You Can Do About It Search History: How to View or Delete It How to Browse the Web Anonymously Internet Speed Test Sites (Last Updated October 2022) What Is a Public IP Address? (and How to Find Yours) How to See Reddit Search History What Is Bandwidth Throttling? Why Does Anyone Do It? How to Turn On Private Browsing in Safari for iOS How to Clear Your Search Bar History What Is a VPN? The Best Free and Public DNS Servers (October 2022) How to Activate InPrivate Browsing Mode in IE 10 Gmail Won't Load? How to Fix It The 5 Best Secure Email Services for 2022 How to Fix a YouTube Black Screen The 5 Best Private Web Browsers of 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies