Do Internet Service Providers Monitor Downloads?

Question

i may or may not download from bittorrent... and i'm asking if theres a chance i could be being watched, or if isps even give a crap

Answer 1

There is no way, your isp can monitor your downloads.

Answer 2

Yeap.

ISPs use packet analysers or protocol analysers which are fancy names for devices which keep copies of some traffic that goes through them. It is easy to see from the data where it came from, when, who to and what sort it is. It's a little more complicated to see what it IS particularly if it's music or movies (because the individual tiny chunks of movie files flying backwards and forwards are incomprehensible just by themselves).

If you (or the other answerer) would like proof, go to http://www.mirrors.wiretapped.net/security/packet-capture/wireshark/win32/ and download Wireshark. While the protocol analysers that ISPs use are appliances the size of a pizza box this will actually give you an idea of what they can see. It may not make much sense to you, you'd need to be a network engineer to follow it all, but have a look through it and try to capture some data for 30 seconds while you use your computer. You'll notice patterns that match what you were doing.

Due to the massive volume however, ISPs will only really look back at it if they are asked to for example by someone who thinks you are infringing their copyright. If you are in the US organisations like the MPAA routinely launch John Doe lawsuits to see what ISP customers have been doing. In the rest of the world I wouldn't panic.

Answer 3

Yes they can. I know this only because I had a problem with my Internet and called them to get help. The man said to me," Gosh Mrs. *****, you sure are using the computer a lot lately". I said how do you know that? He said that he can see every page that I visit. So, Watch out!

Answer 4

your isp knows every thing that you do on the internet as it can check each and every packet going out of your computer...as the modem is at your house..so they now every thing and i dont think that there is any way out!!