You have totally misunderstood the relationship you have with your ISP, any ISP at that.

Your ISP can, and in most cases does, monitor your uploads and downloads to see if you are putting excessive strain on their network. This they can do because it is in the contract you signed for their service, it's called the "Fair Usage Clause" or some such.

Also remember this, in Europe the law says your ISP has to keep a records of your online activities for at least 6 months to two years. In the US the Bush administration is trying to introduce something similar.

In other words, none of this is to do with privacy.



UK Bob