• If you are in danger, please try to use a safer computer that your abuser doesn’t have direct or remote (hacking) access to.
  • If you think your activities are being monitored, they probably are. Abusive people are often controlling and want to know your every move. You don’t need to be a computer programmer or have special skills to monitor someone’s computer and Internet activities – anyone can do it and there are many ways to monitor with spyware, keystroke loggers, and other hacking tools.
  • It is not possible to delete or clear all the “footprints” of your computer or online activities. If you are being monitored, it may be dangerous to change your computer behaviors, such as suddenly deleting your entire Internet history if that is not your regular habit.

If you think you may be monitored on your home computer, be careful how you use it since an abuser might become suspicious. You may want to keep using the monitored computer for activities like looking up the weather. Use a safer computer in a public library or at a trusted friend’s house to research an escape plan, look for new jobs or apartments, bus tickets, or ask for help.

  • Email and Instant/Text Messaging (IM) are not safe or confidential ways to talk to someone about the danger or abuse in your life. If possible, please call a hotline instead. If you use email or IM, please use a safer computer and an account your abuser does not know about.
  • Computers can store a lot of private information about what you look at via the Internet, the emails and instant messages you send, internet-based phone and IP-TTY calls you make, web-based purchases and banking, and many other activities.

Online Privacy and Safety Tips 

Things to Consider When Posting Online  

Who’s Spying on Your Computer?  

Cell Phone Safety
Check your cell phone settings. If you are using a cell phone provided by the abusive person, consider turning it off when not in use. Also, many phones let you “lock” the keys so a phone won’t automatically answer or call if it is bumped. When on, check the phone settings; if your phone has an 
optional location service, you may want to switch the location feature off/on via phone settings or by 
turning your phone on and off.

Use a donated or new cell phone. When making or receiving private calls or arranging escape plans, 
try not to use a shared or family cell phone because cell phone billing records and phone logs might 
reveal your plans to an abuser.
Contact us for more safety tip information and/or check out more safety tips here: https://www.techsafety.org/resources-survivors/technology-safety-plan