SALT LAKE CITY — Well, it’s official. After Congress and the Senate voted to overturn Obama-era regulations that prohibited internet service providers from tracking and selling customers’ browsing history, Trump signed the bill into law Monday.

Abolishing these regulations allows ISPs like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T to track what their customers search online and in apps, then sell that information to advertisers. ISPs previously had to ask permission to collect private data.

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After his press secretary blasted it as an example of rampant government overreach, President Donald Trump signed a bill into law Monday that could eventually allow internet providers to sell information about their customers' browsing habits.

With an influx of private data, agencies can more specifically target their advertisements to individuals. According to the New York Times, companies will be able to tell where people go to lunch, what illnesses they have and when they wake up, based solely on the information they receive from ISPs.

The bill will not go into effect until at least Dec. 4, 2017, according to Ars Technica, a technology news website. When it does, however, ISPs will be able to, not only sell browsing history, but compile internet profiles, inject targeted ads and deploy hidden tracking cookies.

"Lawmakers have said regulations should be created only when there is proof of harmful activity," the New York Times reported. "They also argue that the telecom industry competes with internet firms such as Facebook and Google for access to online content, so any rules should also include those companies."

Hiding browsing history from Google, however, is much easier than hiding it from Comcast. Internet users have a wealth of different browsers to choose from, but not many ISPs. Transitioning to “incognito” mode while browsing Google also effectively stops Google from tracking visited sites.

Many customers are now wondering how they can still maintain privacy and avoid having their browsing history tracked and sold by their ISP. It’s possible that ISPs will roll out plans that allow customers to opt out of selling their browser history for an additional fee, but until then, here are three ways to keep your browsing history off the market:

Use a VPN

CNN Tech, The Verge, Ars Technica and The Guardian all recommend using a virtual private network, or VPN, though they recommend thorough research before investing.

“In the simplest terms, (VPNs) create a secure, encrypted connection between your computer (or phone, tablet, etc.) and a private server somewhere else, preventing anyone else from seeing or modifying that traffic,” the Verge reported. “When you browse the internet, data goes to the server, which passes it securely back to you. When you send data out, it appears to come from the server, not your computer.”

CNN Tech notes that it’s important to do research and to read the fine print before investing in a VPN, since some still sell browsing history to advertisers.

Most experts recommend avoiding free VPNs since many may have security issues. Kenneth White, an internet security engineer and director of the Open Crypto Audit Project, recommend to CNN a VPN called Algo for the technically savvy, and one called Cloak for those who aren’t.

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Use a different ISP

While major ISPs will take advantage of this change, there are some who don’t want to sell. Sonic, Cruzio Internet and Etheric Networks wrote a letter opposing the regulation rollback saying they value customer privacy.

Unfortunately, most Americans don’t have a huge range of ISP options, especially those in rural areas.

“About 80 percent are stuck with just one or two options, so even if they wanted to change, they couldn’t,” the Guardian reported.

Use Tor

Tor is a browser software that protects users by “bouncing… communications around a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around the world.” It prevents people from learning a user’s location or tracking sites they visit.

It can be difficult to install, leads to slower internet speeds and requires regular updates, so it’s not the best option for those who don’t feel particularly tech savvy. It was also described by The Economist as “a darker corner of the web” since it’s used for both legal and illegal activity. It is an option, however.

Internet users who are adamant about protecting their browser history may want to consider some of these options. Otherwise, they may begin to see very specific advertisements, tailored just for them.

Liesl is a reporter at KSL.com, section editor of KSL Tech and a student at Brigham Young University. You can email her at lnielsen@ksl.com and follow her on Twitter at @liesl_nielsen.

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