Technology Safety Tips

• If you think you may be monitored on your home computer, be careful how you use your computer since an abuser might become suspicious. You may want to keep using the monitored computer for innocuous activities, like looking up the weather. Use a safer computer to research an escape plan, look for new jobs or apartments, bus tickets, or ask for help.
  
• It might be safer to use a computer in a public library, at a community technology center (CTC), at a trusted friend’s house, or an Internet Café.
• 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.
• If you receive harassing emails, text messages, or voicemails, save them as evidence.
• Use a web-based email service like Yahoo or Hotmail. Choose passwords that are not easy to guess and change passwords often.
• Do not let your computer save your passwords.
• Be sure your surfing history remains as confidential as possible.
• You need to make sure that the "Use Inline Autocomplete" box is NOT checked. This function will complete a partial web address while typing a location in the address bar at the top of the browser. If you feel that it is safe to do so, you can use the links below to disable the auto complete for your web browser
  Mozilla Firefox Instructions
  Internet Explorer Instructions

For more technology safety tips from the National Network to End Domestic Violence, please click HERE.

Resources

The Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence

Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime

National Domestic Violence Hotline

CyberAngels

Women Halting Online Abuse (WHOA)

Safety Ed International

Online Privacy Alliance

Electronic Privacy Information Center

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Affairs Department

New text here The pattern of control exhibited by abusers is not limited to the use of technology. Abusers may limit victims’ access to transportation, monitor phone calls and text messages, and/or engage in stalking to track the victim’s location.

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Computer Safety

Your Internet browser keeps a record of the Web sites you have visited. It is easy to go back and see what sites the previous user has looked at. This may be of concern to you if you'd like to keep the sites you are looking at confidential. Many browser types have features that display recently visited sites.

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.

If you wish to delete your internet history, please contact your local crisis center for information on how to do this.

Cell Phone Safety

Be aware you may not be able to reach 911 using an Internet phone or Internet-based phone service. So you may need to be prepared to use another phone to call 911. Also, most smartphones have GPS capability and it is important to disable the location settings on your device. Contact your local domestic violence program, shelter, or rape crisis center to learn more about safety plans for your technology and NH’s free cell phone donation programs.