Q&A for How to Browse Internet Websites Without Your Parents Knowing

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We have Frontier Internet, and my parents recently told me that they can go on the account, look up any device that is or has been connected to the internet, and also see the history, including texts. What can I do?

Nicholas Deckman

Community Answer

Using a VPN can potentially solve your problem, while using a VPN nobody, including your ISP can see what sites you visit.

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Question

If my parents can see my history through their computer accounts, can they see my searches while I'm on incognito?

Community Answer

It depends on the browser. If you are using Chrome's Incognito Mode, then no. Only your ISP can see what you are searching, but your parents cannot access that data. If you are using Edge, possibly. Microsoft includes family services linked across multiple accounts, so they can see what you have been searching, even in InPrivate Mode.

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Question

If I have family sharing on windows and happened to open my Outlook account and then closed it, will my parents still see my history?

Community Answer

Yes, unless you delete it from your history (generally, you can use Ctrl + H to view your history, and delete whatever you want from there). You can also use an Incognito window in Google Chrome, which prevents the sites you visit from being recorded in your history. Note that your parents probably won't be able to log into your Outlook account and see your actual emails, they could just see that you used that website.

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Question

Is there any way they can find deleted history?

Community Answer

No, because it should be gone. The best way may just be using incognito browsing, and then when you are done, close the tabs and no one can find out.

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Question

If I erase history from Google, will my parents still find a way to find the history?

Max Obermayr

Community Answer

Yes. All data is never fully deleted, but if you use Chrome and go incognito, the history will not be recorded.

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Question

My mother said that there is a software that can see my internet history, cookies, and login information, and it alerts her by her phone. Can the Portable Firefox method work against that software?

Community Answer

It depends on the type of software she is using.

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Question

Can my parents see my browsing history through our web provider's website?

Community Answer

No. They can only access this through the computer itself.

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Question

If they have parental controls and I view a website through a VPN on the guest account, will they see it?

Jawad Rashid

Community Answer

They may be able to track it through an administrator account.

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Question

I didn't know there was an incognito mode in Chrome and haven't used it, but I deleted the browsing history in Google. Can they still find a way to know the websites I used?

Community Answer

No, if you have deleted your search and website history, there is no way anyone can know about which websites you have visited except Google. However, your parents will be able to see that you have accessed history on your computer, and will eventually figure out what you have been doing.

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Question

If my mom has Family Link, what can she see? If I use incognito mode and YouTube, will she be able to see what I do? And what about if I opened Google Chrome?

Community Answer

Family Link does not allow parents to view search history. However they can block content if they think you are looking up things you shouldn't be, which can include YouTube and Chrome, so be careful. That service will look into your incognito mode, so beware.

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Question

There is this app called Google Family Link that my parents put on my phone when I was 9, but I am now 15 and they won't remove it. So is there a way to remove it without them getting notified?

Community Answer

You might be able to reset your phone, or remove the account from your device. You could also get your hands on your parents phone and delete any notifications.

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Question

My parents use Kaspersky Safe Kids to track my search history. If I use Chrome's incognito, can they see what I search?

Community Answer

Yes, they can. All incognito mode does, is not save it to Chrome, but if there is an external program, it can still record history that may be a bit difficult to delete without arousing suspicion.

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Question

My parents use the same laptop as me and they somehow manage to see my browser history, even though I have a VPN and use Chrome's Incognito mode. Is there anything I could possibly do?

Community Answer

There might be an app installed that is recording your search history. Try using a Ubuntu Live USB whenever you need to do something that you don't want your parents knowing about.

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Question

If I search up something on chrome incognito mode but it’s blocked does Netnanny alert my parents if I looked up on a website that is currently blocked?

Community Answer

Yes, it will, so try disabling Netnanny. If you can, use a VPN. You could also try clean installing windows, as this will remove Netnanny and any other software your parents may have installed. Of course, doing that means your parents won't get any more reports from Netnanny, so they might get suspicious.

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Question

How do I prevent my parents from seeing my previous search history on Google?

Community Answer

If search history is erased, it cannot be recovered unless there is another tool recording your history. If there is, try disabling or uninstalling it.

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Question

My parents provide my internet. If I search on Incognito in Google, will they be able to see it?

Community Answer

The ISP will log the history, but it is unlikely that this information would be released to your parents unless something illegal was going on, like human trafficking, drug selling, etc.

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Question

Can my parents see my search history if on Samsung's secret mode and using mobile data?

Community Answer

Not unless they have installed software on your phone.

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Question

If I want to spend all of the day bingeing on my favorite porn sites, can I hide the stuff I like to watch from others like my parents?

Community Answer

Use the Tor Browser with incognito. This will both prevent search history being recorded on the browser and will also bypass any ISP restrictions.

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Question

Is it possible to view the history when we browse in a private window in Mozilla?

Community Answer

Unless your parents are tech savvy and use parental controls to record history or contact the ISP, then no. All searches in a private windows are not saved.

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Question

My parents are major on parental controls. If I deleted my history then they can't ever see it right? Like, not even on the hotspot internet?

Community Answer

Deleted history only removes it from your computer and/or Google/Firefox account. Your parents can still get your history through your ISP. Some parental controls will also record history separately.

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Question

Can I (parent) tell when incognito has been used?

Community Answer

The short answer is no. In most cases, the parental control software cannot detect if incognito was used, and neither can your ISP. All you will know is what sites were visited, not if incognito was used.

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Question

Is there any way I can make sure no-one can see it?

Community Answer

The short answer is no. Even with clearing search history, using a VPN, etc., there is always the chance that inappropriate videos similar to the ones you watched then get recommended to you on YouTube later on, or that the game you brought online gets found in purchase history, or even that someone walks in on you occurs.

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Question

My parents say they can see my history by using the ISP even if I use incognito or guest mode, is that true?

Community Answer

Yes. The ISP can still see what you search, download, etc, regardless of incognito or not. To combat this, use a VPN and/or proxy.

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Question

My parents say that they will pull up the logs from the ISP. How can I stop this?

Community Answer

Use a VPN. This way, all that will show up on the ISP log is you downloading a VPN. If this will be suspicious, then download the installer to a USB or SD card at your friends house then install from the USB.

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Question

What if it is on youtube.com?

gavin madelar

Community Answer

Then, clear your history in YouTube and then turn on Incognito mode. Incognito in YouTube lets you browse in a session that your account search and watch history won't influence or reflect.

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Question

I am part of a Microsoft Family Safety group with my father. Microsoft says that parents can track browser history even in incognito mode with the family plan; is there any way to bypass that?

Sanjeet K

Community Answer

No. You can try to sign out and try it and maybe you can delete the websites you searched right after but not their searches too.

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