Internet Safety

Internet and Computer Safety

If you are in danger, please try to use a safer computer that someone abusive does not have direct or remote access to.

• It might be safer to use a computer in a public library, at a trusted friend’s house, or an Internet Café.
• Never share your username and password for any of the websites that you visit.
• Never give personal or identifying information to any online service unless you feel reasonably sure the site is legitimate and secure.
• If you think your activities are being monitored, they probably are. Abusive people are often controlling and want to know your every move. It does not require special computer skills or knowledge for someone to monitor your computer activities, anyone can do it, so be careful.
• 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 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.
• 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 close an e-mail account and open another, ask family members and friends not to disclose your new e-mail address.
• 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.