As most of us begin to think about our internet security and privacy, one of the first questions we ask hits close to home: Can the WiFi owner see what I search?
After all, privacy is a personal matter. You ought to be able to surf the web without concern that someone, anyone, is snooping into your personal information—even if you share a roof with that person. You have a right to your privacy.
So, in this article, we’ll explain how internet privacy works within a single home. Who can view your WiFi history? Are there workarounds to achieving greater privacy on the web? And of course: can the WiFi owner see what I search?
Because you ought to know how internet privacy works and who (and under what circ*mstances) a person, company, or government can access your data. So, let’s dive in.
Can the WiFi owner see what I search?
Yes, many modern routers give the WiFi owner a variety of insights into their household data usage, including internet speeds, a list of all the devices connected to the router, and the exact URLs that have been visited. Unless you take the precautions we’ll describe below, that includes divulging your personal online search history.
In one sense, this access to information is a good thing. It gives homeowners more access and more control over their home internet usage. This makes it easy for people to design their own smart homes, complete with interconnected devices like locks, home alarms, and your preferred smart assistant.
Of course, the downside is that you have to think twice about what you search online. Because here’s the reality: It’s fairly easy for a WiFi owner to see what has been searched on their network. And no, deleting the search history on your device won’t save you.
How to delete search history from a router
If you’ve already searched for something that you want to wipe from the record, you have a few options:
- Delete your search history directly from the router. This is the best and most difficult option because technically only the router owner has the power to do this. If you’re able to borrow their device or find the router login credentials, you may be able to delete your selected searches.
- Most routers only store a certain amount of website history. So, you can technically just visit a lot of sites to push the site further down the search history records. Pretty soon, it will be off the record and you can rest easy.
We know, neither of those aren’t a great option. But hopefully, they are enough to stop others from seeing your prior search history.
If you are thinking ahead, however, there are several easy ways to block an internet router from tracking your website history. Here are the best ways to avoid having your future search history recorded and seen:
Does using incognito mode stop WiFi owners from seeing my search history?
Short answer: no. Incognito mode (also known as Private mode) is a privacy tool built into the most popular web browsers. In just a couple of clicks, you can open a (partially) private web browser. Nothing you search using incognito mode will appear on your personal device’s search history. But there’s a catch –many devices still track your search history and store it on the router. It’s lame, we know.
Fortunately, there are two ways to consistently and privately browse the web: Tor and VPNs.
Can a WiFi owner see my search history on DuckDuckGo?
Short answer: Somewhat. Privacy-focused search engines offer only a partial solution here. Even though DuckDuckGo doesn’t track your data, it does send the domains you visit to the WiFi router. But it does not reveal the exact subdomain you visit. So, you can enjoy semi-private searches.
For example, if you search for a question on DuckDuckGo but don’t click on a website search result, then the WiFi owner won’t know what you searched for. They’ll only know that you used DuckDuckGo. However, as soon as you click on another website from DuckDuckGo, that domain will be included in the search history.
Free option: Access the web through Tor
Tor stands for The Onion Router. Essentially, it’s the most popular way to access the dark web. Since Tor works like its own private router, your searches and online activity will not be tracked or stored on the WiFi network. It’s fully private.
The catch is that using the dark web brings its own security risks. Think of it as the unregulated side of the web. There is a lot of illegal activity on the dark web, as well as many potential scams and malware. Before you download Tor, ensure you understand what you want to search for and how to get to that site or information securely.
Best option: Use a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) is one of the best tools for ensuring personal privacy online. But what is a VPN, exactly? It essentially routes your internet usage through a different anonymous router somewhere else in the world, so that none of your search histories gets tracked back to you.
And that’s not all. Virtual private networks also offer incredible added security to your daily web usage. It doesn’t just anonymize your activity. It also adds a barrier of protection between your device and everyone else. Think of it as using the internet through a tool that exists to protect your privacy and data.
How to select a VPN
Not all VPNs are created equal. Yes, most VPNs will stop WiFi owners from seeing your search history. However, some VPNs could sell your search data to companies. These VPNs only give the appearance of privacy. In reality, some might say their privacy efforts do more harm than good.
The best way to select a VPN is to pay for one. As the internet saying goes, if you’re not paying for a product, then you’re the product. With free VPNs, other companies could be paying to know your search history, online browsing and shopping behavior, and beyond.
