In 2025, your internet connection powers nearly every aspect of your household, from streaming movies and managing smart homes to remote work and virtual schooling. But while most people focus on speed and price when choosing a home ISP, there’s a growing privacy issue lurking behind the scenes: who has access to your browsing data?
Many large national ISPs promote faster speeds, bundled deals, or discounted streaming packages. What they don’t always promote is how they collect, store, and sometimes monetize your household’s online activity.
The Business of Data Collection
Most internet users assume that only websites or apps track their behavior. But your internet provider, the company that delivers your connection into your home, can see everything you do online unless you’re actively using encryption tools like VPNs or private browsers.
This includes:
- Which websites you visit
- How long you stay on each site
- What videos you stream
- What apps and services your smart devices use
For national providers, this behavioral data has significant commercial value. It allows them to create detailed user profiles that can be used internally for marketing, or sold to third-party advertisers, data brokers, and other partners.
While some home ISPs claim this data is “de-identified,” experts point out that it’s often possible to re-identify users based on browsing patterns and household behaviors. In short: your data is a valuable asset, and many ISPs are quietly profiting from it.
Didn’t Net Neutrality Protect This?
The rollback of net neutrality protections in 2017 eliminated some of the transparency and consent requirements that previously limited what ISPs could collect and sell. Since then, some states have enacted their own privacy laws, but much of the U.S., including Washington State, still grants ISPs wide latitude in how they handle customer data. Despite its tech-driven economy, Washington has some of the weakest privacy safeguards in the country, leaving residents with little control over how their personal information is handled.
While the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched multiple investigations into these practices, the absence of a comprehensive federal privacy law and weak state-level safeguards means ISPs remain largely free to profit from your browsing history, location data, and app usage.
Why Unlimited Internet Providers Like Lightcurve Are Different
At Lightcurve Internet, we believe your browsing data belongs to you, not us. As one of the growing unlimited internet providers in Tacoma, Ellensburg, Selah, Yelm, Centralia, Chehalis, and the surrounding area, Lightcurve has built its network on three simple promises: speed, transparency, and privacy.
Unlike many big ISPs:
- We don’t sell your browsing data or personal information.
- We don’t throttle your speeds based on what you’re doing online.
- We don’t bundle unnecessary services to access your data habits.
Instead, Lightcurve offers fast, fiber-backed connections with no contract internet service, no hidden fees, and no data caps, just secure, reliable internet that works for your household’s needs.
How to Protect Your Household
If you want more control over your privacy, start with your internet provider. Look for ISPs that clearly state their data policies and avoid those that force you into long-term contracts packed with fine print.
You can also:
- eero 6e and 7 pro routers that come with WPA3 encryption
- Regularly update router firmware
But the biggest step you can take? Start by choosing a home ISP committed to respecting your household’s privacy at the network level, like Lightcurve Internet.
Internet Without Tradeoffs
Your internet connection shouldn’t come with hidden tradeoffs. As online privacy becomes a growing concern for families, knowing how your provider handles your data is just as important as download speeds or pricing.
Lightcurve Internet offers fast, secure service without the privacy headaches tied to national carriers. See if your address qualifies today and experience internet service that respects your household and your wallet.
If you live in Tacoma, Ellensburg, Selah, Yelm, Centralia, Chehalis, or the surrounding area, you might be eligible. Check your address online or call Lightcurve at (800) 832-5725 to see if you’re in our network for secure, high-speed internet backed by local support.
