Is it possible to check if anyone has applied to monitor my web browsing history/cache/bookmarks as an employer on my home pc without my knowledge or consent?

Question

I am using private windows to browse since someone seems to know what sites I've visited. I've done my best wrt blocking cookies and deleting history on exit, but some data in the "Library" exists.
Apparently my isp provider and employer can see my browsing history of a private browsing window.
I am currently self-employed but I volunteered for an organisation until October 2013. One of their members I worked closely with was stalking my email and browsing history without my knowledge.
Is it possible for this slimy bleep to have weasled their way into monitoring my web activity by claiming to be an employer?
Can I use a private browsing window safely?
I have a business to run, so I need my information, email, web activity to be kept confidential.
Any helpful advice will be gratefully received.

Answer 1

Your question is a bit confusing, and it seems that you don't quite understand who and what can view your internet activity:
* Private browsing mode simply leaves no record of the sites you visit in your browser. There are so many other parts of the chain that can keep records. Example: Your computer could have tracking software (installed intentionally or maliciously), many routers have web logging, your Internet Service Provider can view the sites you visit, your employer if you are at work, the government has extensive tracking programs as well. Private browsing won't defeat these tracking techniques. It basically only prevents people who have physical access to your computer from looking in your history and seeing the sites you visited in PB mode.
* Your employer can't just request to see the sites you visit when you are at home. The only reason your employer could see the sites you visit is it you take your computer to work and use your work network to access the internet (and the employer has enabled logging on their network hardware) or you have a work laptop and take it home and it has logging software installed on it. Many employers have policies against using work equipment for personal. But there is no way that your employer can call your home ISP and ask to view your internet history.
* Your ISP keeps a record of the sites you access, but won't release that without a court order (or to the NSA....) so unless you have a court order or a snoopy ISP employee who has an axe to grind and is viewing your internet logs illegally you don't really have to worry about that.
* It's possible you have malware on your computer that is tracking your internet history. [[Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware]]