It might also include adding “noise” to the data, which obscures personal identifiers. It refers to the process of stripping away personal identifiers that connect a person to a set of stored data. There, an ISP can sell the browsing history of an internet user to a third party-provided the data has been anonymized. (Thanks to the enactment of the GDPR, General Data Protection Regulation.) However, there are few such protections in the U.S. This practice varies by region and the data privacy laws that are in place in each one.įor example, the European Union has strict data privacy laws that prevent this type of sale. (Some ISPs provide free Wi-Fi in public places that allows them to collect data from people who aren’t their regular customers.) They can gather that data while you’re on your home network, and they might gather it while you’re using public Wi-Fi. Search for “summer cargo pants” one time and suddenly the sites you visit are full of ads for pants, pants, and more pants.Īside from gathering your online activity for advertising purposes, ISPs might also sell the data they gather to third parties. Particularly for anyone who’s seen uncannily targeted ads follow them around on the internet. VPNs and privacy-blocking ads and data collectionĪs for data collection and ads, that activity should come as no surprise. That might include opening entirely new lines of credit or getting a driver’s license in your name.Ī VPN can prevent this kind of snooping from happening. In more extreme cases, they might use stolen information to impersonate you in other ways. Primarily they want that information so they can turn a buck by hijacking your accounts or impersonating you to get medical care. They take an even greater interest in what you’re doing online-like your shopping, banking, and finances. Next, there are the hackers and identity thieves out there. And sometimes, they sell that information to third parties. They gather and use this information to create targeted ad profiles. Because it’s a commodity on today’s internet.įor starters, you have advertisers and internet service providers (ISPs) that want to know what you’re doing, when you’re doing it, where you’re doing it, and even for how long you’re doing it. You know what a VPN is, but the question remains-why do you need a VPN?
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