Who Can See Your Traffic After You Press Connect?

Introduction

In the previous article, we learned what happens when you press Connect in Hiddify.

Your traffic begins travelling through an encrypted tunnel to a server before reaching the internet.

A natural question follows:

If my internet provider no longer directly sees the websites I visit, who does?

Understanding the answer is one of the most important steps toward understanding how modern internet connections work.

Traffic path

Every request follows roughly the same path.

Each participant in this path has a different role.

Because of that, each one sees different information.

What your internet provider sees

Your provider delivers your connection to the server.

Typically, it can see:

• that your device is connected;
• the IP address of the server;
• how much traffic is transferred;
• connection timing.

Because the tunnel is encrypted, your provider does not directly see the websites and online services inside that tunnel.

What the server sees

The server sits between your device and the websites you visit.

Its job is simple:

• receive encrypted traffic from your device;
• forward requests to the destination;
• return responses back through the encrypted tunnel.

Because the server participates in the communication path, choosing a trustworthy provider matters.

This is true for any service that operates internet gateways—not only SimpleLinkAccess.

Different business models

Not every service exists for the same reason.

Some internet services are funded through advertising.

Some provide enterprise networking.

Some operate large analytics platforms.

Others simply sell access to infrastructure.

The business model often influences what information a service needs in order to operate.

Understanding this helps users make informed choices.

How SimpleLinkAccess approaches privacy

SimpleLinkAccess has a straightforward business model.

We provide access to our infrastructure through paid subscriptions.

We are not an advertising platform.

We do not build browsing profiles.

We do not inspect which websites our users visit as part of our service.

Like any professionally operated internet service, we maintain only the technical information necessary to keep the infrastructure secure, reliable, and available.

Our goal is simple:

Provide a reliable encrypted tunnel—not collect information about what users read, watch, or browse.

What websites still see

A secure tunnel changes the network path.

It does not change how websites identify their own users.

If you sign in to an account, that website knows who you are.

Cookies, browser fingerprints, account sessions, and other web technologies continue to work exactly as before.

This is why a secure connection and online privacy are related—but not identical—concepts.

Sealed envelope analogy

Imagine sending a sealed envelope.

Each participant only needs part of the information to perform their role.

Your internet provider delivers the envelope to the courier.

The courier delivers it to the recipient.

The recipient opens the envelope because it is addressed to them.

Each participant only needs part of the information to perform their role.

Modern internet connections work in a similar way.

Why this matters

Privacy is not about hiding from everyone.

It is about understanding who receives which information—and why.

Modern internet tools help users control their network connection more effectively.

But trust still matters.

Choosing services with transparent business models and clear privacy principles is an important part of using the internet responsibly.

Summary

After you press Connect:

• your provider sees an encrypted connection to the server;
• the server forwards your traffic;
• the website still receives your request;
• websites where you sign in continue to know who you are;
• understanding who can see what helps you make informed privacy decisions.