Can your internet provider see your suicide search history and do something about it?

[Cashewmilk]

This might be a strange question. I looked it up, and the ISP can see your search history. Do certain countries have laws around this, has anyone been outed this way? I'm in Canada. I looked it on google and couldn't find anything - I suck at googling these days since they changed everything...I'll also ask chat GPT, but first I'll try the humans lol.

Oh I know about VPN's, but I can't afford it right now, there's no month to month plans where I am, only yearly upfront and it's very expensive for me I'm on disability. I'll keep looking for a provider if it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm not a minor, I'm 36 but I don't want anyone to know about this.

 

[tulero]

I think brave browser includes a VPN

Unless you commit a crime, I dont think they gonna take a look at it

 

[UserFromNowhere]

ISPs haven't been able to see your search history in years since the introduction of https now only displays the site you're visiting (google, SaSu, etc.) and not the data (any sensitive information, stuff after the .com/.net/.site). If you're using an unsecured connection (http), then they will, but most websites run https. As for VPNs, Mullvad is good and accepts bitcoin as a form of payment, it's a monthly subscription too. Personally, I use Tor browser to access this website though, which is free.

 

[theboy]

That's a good question
They are not supposed to be able to see your movements on the Internet. They only know your personal information (you know, when you signed up for the service)

 

[locked*n*loaded]

How do you think the police, with a search warrant, are able to obtain your Internet records, when they're unable to unlock your phone or computer? Ofc all you do is stored for some period of time by your ISP and cell provider. Do ISPs look through your records? I kind of doubt it. But, they're certainly mandated by law to keep what you do "just in case" a warrant is served on them.

 

[TAW122]

Pretty much what others said here, and @locked*n*loaded is on point. I believe as long as you aren't doing anything that is unlawful or illegal, then no, your ISP (even if they store your Internet surfing activity) won't do anything about it. The information and logs would just sit in some database dormant.

 

[Namelesa]

if you are in UK especially I would suggest to get a VPN:

UK Users: Protect Your Privacy â Why You Need a VPN (And Which One to Trust)

ð Notice for UK-Based Users (Updated April 2025) Due to recent actions by UK regulators, including a formal investigation into this site under the Online Safety Act 2023, we strongly advise UK users to take proactive steps to protect your privacy and access. While we are a U.S.-based platform...

sanctioned-suicide.net

 

[EmptyBottle]

they can see the DNS requests (with timestamps), but only up to once a day or whatever the timeout is:
sanctioned-suicide.net
cloudflareinsights.com
cloudflare.com
jquery.com

They can also see the IPs and bandwidth. eg
1.1.1.1 | 3MB
x.x.x.x | 96MB
etc

But if you do NOT get certificate warnings, the ISP can't see it. but cloudflare can see and modify the content (eg: strip email addresses if connection less trusted by them) if the DDoS protection is setup right, tho they don't seem to take much action on it

 

[TheLastGreySky]

This might be a strange question. I looked it up, and the ISP can see your search history. Do certain countries have laws around this, has anyone been outed this way? I'm in Canada. I looked it on google and couldn't find anything - I suck at googling these days since they changed everything...I'll also ask chat GPT, but first I'll try the humans lol.

Oh I know about VPN's, but I can't afford it right now, there's no month to month plans where I am, only yearly upfront and it's very expensive for me I'm on disability. I'll keep looking for a provider if it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm not a minor, I'm 36 but I don't want anyone to know about this.

Respectfully, there's waaaay too many pedophiles on the internet for you to worry about if they can or can not tell you're suicidal. Hope this helps.
Truthfully they wouldn't make any money putting you in jail or a psych ward so you're not on their menu.

 

[karakoltriste]

rise up VPN is free

 

[Forever Sleep]

Like others have mentioned, I imagine authorities like the police need to be able to look at internet history- so I'm sure there must be ways of by passing VPN's etc. with enough resources. Similarly, platforms have a responsibility to ensure illegal or harmful content is kept off their site or, that it is age restricted where appropriate.

As for internet providers, I imagine their main interest is our spending habits so, they can sell our details to advertisers.

I guess if someone is looking up especially dodgy stuff, then I'd presume red flags are raised to counter thinks like terrorism, illegal pornography etc. It would feel like a step too far to apply to the discussion of suicide- unless coercion was involved. Still, it makes me wonder in future- if enough people do start killing themselves- will they crack down harder?

 

[Cashewmilk]

Thanks guys! Yeah I kind of figured that they probably don't really care about this stuff. But I was looking up specific details like jumping spots in my area, and I just wondered if that would raise some alarm. My ISP is pretty nosy, sometimes when I download torrents of certain TV shows, they send an e-mail to my sister about it (she manages the internet bill)...she doesn't give a crap though and also asks me to download shows for her too. But we hate each other and if she found out I was suicidal again she'd totally freak out and give me the usual lecture about how I'm being selfish and mom will have to pay 20K in funeral bills blah blah, and if you were really suicidal you wouldn't be researching/talking anything you just do it, or who's going to help around the house blah blah. I don't do anything illegal besides that. And I stopped talking about suicide to people in real life like 20+ years ago when I realized no one actually cares and probably secretly wish for me to do it because I'm such a huge burden /rant.

Anyway, I'll look into a VPN again lol. Is TOR browser still super slow and clunky?

 

[wham311]

How do you think the police, with a search warrant, are able to obtain your Internet records, when they're unable to unlock your phone or computer? Ofc all you do is stored for some period of time by your ISP and cell provider. Do ISPs look through your records? I kind of doubt it. But, they're certainly mandated by law to keep what you do "just in case" a warrant is served on them.

Install backdoor apps into your phone too.

 

[Dejected 55]

Your history is always there. As others have noted, if you come onto the radar or get caught up in a sweep for some adjacent thing, then they can and will see your history.

But, ISPs in general don't have the bandwidth or personnel to monitor everyone all the time. Also, they kind of have an implicit agreement that they are just a passthrough, and because they don't monitor everyone all the time, they can't be held legally responsible.

For instance... Joe Blow plans a crime using an ISP to send messages to his crew... IF the ISP monitored all its customers and traffic all the time, then law enforcement would expect the ISP to blow the whistle any time illegal things were discussed. IF the ISP didn't call police, the ISP would be a co-conspirator by default. NO ISP wants this hassle... so they all agree to not monitor traffic but to allow law enforcement to ask for data with a warrant and assist them with an investigation.

So... randomly monitoring you all the time? No. But if there is ever a reason to suspect you of anything, then yeah... it can happen.

Oh, and there are those computers in the US government that are always searching for certain key words OR communications with known criminals... so you could get caught up in one of those if you say the wrong thing or talk to the wrong person.