Can a website grab your IP address and show it to other websites and people without your permission?

Hi there Throwawayaccount123,

Thanks for contacting the Apple Support Communities today!

We understand you're concerned about privacy an websites checking your IP address when visiting their sites.

While we can't guarantee a website is safe, Safari does have some great built-in privacy and security options to help protect you while browsing.

You can find information about all of the great features in Safari by checking out Apple's Guide here. While reviewing, be sure to check out all of the options in the table of contents for Privacy & Security as well: Prevent cross-site tracking in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

If you want even more protection while browsing, check out the Private Browsing option here: Use Private Browsing in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

We hope you have a great day!

Cheers!

Short answer is yes, your IP address is public knowledge. Every website you visit records your IP address. That’s how the internet works. Tracing your IP back to you personally is a different matter and would require your internet provider’s cooperation, usually through a court order or other legal means.

Another consideration is that your IP address changes from time to time, determined by your internet provider’s policies. Static IP addresses (ones that never change) are usually used by businesses and cost more.

You would need to use a VPN, at least until iOS 15 is available.

There is little you can do without a VPN, as your internet provider and the site get your IP address before the browser can effectively block it anyway. So the only way to ensure your privacy is the use of VPN/Proxy Servers, etc.