Safe and Fear-free Environment, Inc. (SAFE)

Learn some tips on how to protect your privacy on a computer you share with an Abuser

Web Browsing Safety

You may have noticed the button at the top of the page that says "for a quick exit click here." We have a quick exit button at the top of each page in case you are sharing you computer and browser with somebody who might be trying to control your web browsing. This is common across DV/SA websites.

However there are a few things that you should know about web safety and what the button can and cannot do. The button will take you to a blank google page. It will not erase your history and if someone pushed the back button they will go to SAFE's

Website.

Privacy Mode

We recommend using private browsing mode on your browser also known as incognito mode on google chrome. You can find it by pressing the settings button on the top right hand corner and selecting it from the drop down menu. This will keep SAFE's website or any other website you use in the private browser window from showing up in the history. 

Tabbed Browsing

Another smart way to protect yourself if you feel somebody might quickly enter the room and you don't want to have to explain why you have a blank google search page open is to open a couple of tabs that seem like normal browsing behavior. You can quickly close SAFE's tab and there will be whatever content you have already chosen. Nobody will be able to press the back button and see what you closed because that tab is gone. 

Delete History

Delete all browsing history. This can be done in the browser settings tab. It is the same place you went to open a private browsing window. One of the disadvantages to this is that if you are sharing a browser program with someone it will clear all of their data also and they may get suspicious when they constantly have to re-enter all there saved passwords or get a text message to use their email. 

Use a Different Browser

Another way you can say safe in your browsing habits is to use a different web browser than your abuser does. For instance PC's come with Explorer or Edge browser as a default browser and all web traffic is usually handled through it. Macintosh or Ipads and Iphones use Safari as a default. You can download a different browser and hide the button on the computer. Other Browsers include Google Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. This might be a risky option if you aren't very adept at installing applications. You should still follow the tips above even with a different browser. 

Sign Out

Sign out of email, Facebook, Google, Yahoo, or any other site that you have to sign on to. Don't check the remember me button below the sign in boxes. Sometimes the browser will pop up with a "Would you like the browser to remember the password for this site?" window. Always click never. This may mean you will have to remember passwords and always sign in to sites but your private info will be safer. 

Practice using these techniques so that you will be assured of your safety. 

We offer these suggestions to help inform people how to use technology safely if their life may be in danger or they are in a unsafe environment. This list is not a all encompassing list and if you have comments or see errors please let us know so that we may update this page. 

We are looking for a better button and the lack of one is what started this page. Software engineers are working on it but it is a much more complex issue than you would first think. 

Quick Info

https://www.rainn.org/articles/safe-web-browsing

http://whwest.org.au/family-violence/resources/using-the-internet-safely/

https://www.safehorizon.org/tech-and-cyber-safety/

In Depth Info

http://techsafety.org/

https://staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/privacy-and-domestic-violence/