It's a good idea to assume that everything you do online is being monitored by someone, somewhere. That way, you're always vigilant and make sure you keep your most important data far away from prying eyes. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about who can see your online activity, and what exactly they can see. Let's clear things up by going over four entities that can see your search history or browsing activity, what each one can see, and what you can do to protect your privacy.

1 Search engines and websites

Cookies and trackers are just a few ways that a website can monitor your internet habits

Whether you use Google, Bing, or another search engine, the one you choose can see quite a bit of information about your online habits. The big ones are the worst offenders, like Google and Bing, and there are some privacy-focused options. However, you should know that pretty much every search engine will see your search history, and can use that data to influence your recommendations, the ads you see, and more. Your data can also be used to optimize search results and test new features, like Google's new AI Overviews in Search.

Websites can track you and collect your information, too. We're now seeing a lot of websites prompt users with messages informing them that they're being tracked with cookies, which are small text files that help sites collect data. To keep your data as private as possible, take the second or two to disable all optional cookies, leaving only strictly necessary cookies enabled. However, some cookies are required and websites can collect at least some data from you every time you visit.

2 Browsers

Yes, your browser can track you, even in incognito mode

Browsers have a ton of access to a user's internet history, and are arguably the weakest point in a person's online security chain. After launching a new browser, it will immediately ask you what kinds of data you'd like to share — regardless of whether you're using Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. Some browsers, like Safari and Firefox, are better than others. But they're all collecting some amount of user data. For example, you can find Chrome's stash of user data on your Windows PC by navigating to the following file path:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\

Like search engines, browsers collect data for a lot of different reasons. If you're using a browser and a search engine from the same company — like Chrome and Google Search or Edge and Bing — you'll be handing over quite a bit of data to Google or Microsoft. However, search history and browsing activity are two different things. Browsing activity concerns the particular sites and URLs you visit, while search history covers what you look up on Google, Bing, or another alternative. So, browsers are more likely to log what specific sites you visit, how long you stay on them, and what links you click.

Browser extensions are an entirely different beast. They have an insane amount of data — including just about everything your browser can see, in some cases — so you should only install ones you trust. It's also important to note that incognito mode doesn't really do much to protect your privacy. In fact, Google settled a multi-billion dollar lawsuit alleging it misled users as to whether it still collected user data while incognito mode was active. (Hint: it absolutely does)

3 Internet service providers (ISPs)

The company that provides your internet can see some of your browsing activity

Internet service providers, or ISPs, are companies that provide you with internet access. In the U.S., some common ISPs that could be servicing your area are Comcast Xfinity, Verizon, Cox, Google Fiber. Most people don't get much of a choice when it comes to choosing their ISP, as it all depends on which ones are available in your area. However, new services like Starlink and T-Mobile Home Internet are giving users more choice. Still, whichever ISP you use can absolutely see information about your online activity, like the websites you visit.

ISPs can log your activity to ensure you aren't breaking their terms of service, regulations, or laws. In some jurisdictions, ISPs can be pressured or forced to hand over your browsing data to the government. This may require a warrant or a court order, but it is possible in many regions. Additionally, ISPs can use anonymous versions of your browsing data to help train advertisers and other clients.

4 Network administrators

The person managing a network can see your activity, especially if it's an enterprise network

Network administrators — in other words, the people managing the network you connect to via Wi-Fi or Ethernet — can also see the websites you visit. This is a bigger concern when you connect to an enterprise network, like one operated by a business, government entity, or school. These enterprise networks might be tracking your online activity to ensure you aren't breaking their terms of service or local laws. The network administrator of a home network sees many of the same types of information, but they would need to go out of their way to look for it.

While you won't want to be paranoid every time you connect to a Wi-Fi network, this should serve as a reminder to be wary when browsing on public networks, and to be aware of what you do while connected to a work or school network. To avoid all or some of these concerns, you can use a dynamic IP address or connect to a VPN.

What can you do to hide your internet history and online activity?

If you're alarmed by how much information you're sharing with third-party entities while online, there are a few steps you can take to shore up your privacy. For starters, a privacy-focused browser can help. I use Safari, and it gives me weekly reports on which websites are trying to track me, and how many trackers it prevented from tracking me.

Hardware-level features, like dynamic IP addresses, can also help keep your browsing away from prying eyes. Of course, the best way to keep your information private is with a virtual private network (VPN), and we've ranked the best ones below.