Tech Tips for the Holidays

This holiday season, I hope you get lots of presents! Or at least one thing you really want. If one of those pressies is a brand new technology device – say the newest iPhone, Kindle Fire, or tablet – here are some security and privacy tips.

Linked Account(s)

Many devices are associated with some kind of account.  You may have to create a new account or link an email address to the device.  Make sure you know whose account it’s linked to—preferably yours. Choose a username or email and password that only you will know.  

Go Through the Settings

This can be a bit boring (so grab some hot chocolate or eggnog), but spend some time going through the settings. Not only will this help you learn all the options and features on your brand new tech device, it also allows you to see what kind of security and privacy controls you have.

Was it Used?

I love hand-me-downs! But when it comes to tech, it’s important to make sure that all previous accounts and data have been removed. Do a full reset of the device to delete everything and get it to factory settings. Not sure how to do it? Just google “How to reset [your device name here].”

Go Through the Apps

Most smart devices allow you to download apps or additional software onto the device. Make sure you know what’s on there, especially if someone else set it up for you. If you come across an app that you know you won’t use or aren’t sure about, consider deleting it.

Update Passwords

If you asked someone else to set up anything up for you (the service, account, apps, etc.), and you gave them your username/passwords, consider changing your passwords afterwards. Yes, the holiday season is all about giving – but this doesn’t apply to your passwords and privacy! So remember that even if someone is nice enough to gift you with a fun device, it’s yours, not theirs.

We hope you all have fabulous holidays with lots of good cheer & yummy food!

~ Safety Net Team

Safe Surfing 101: Internet Browser Privacy Settings

Internet browsers—Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Apple Safari— are the entryway to the internet. They are also one of the first steps you can take to increase your privacy while online. Each of these browsers has built-in privacy features and settings that can minimize how much of your online activity someone else can see.

So, you’d rather not have your roommates know that you’ve been working out to Richard Simmons videos (it’s ok, we’re not judging!), or maybe you want to hide your engagement ring searches from your girlfriend. Perhaps you want to be able to privately search for information on domestic violence, dating abuse, or stalking without your partner knowing. These are all valid reasons why you’d want your internet browsing to be private. Particularly, for victims of abuse, in-browser privacy settings can help increase your privacy and safety.

We have a new handout that breaks down in-browser privacy settings for commonly used browsers. The steps in the handout may be slightly different depending on which version of the browser you’re using or what device you’re accessing it from, but it should still help point you in the right direction. Some of the most important in-browser settings to be aware of are the ones that allow you to manage what online searches and activity remain visible in your browser history. You may choose to use the private browsing mode to visit websites without any of that activity being logged in the browser history. You can also choose to go into your browser history and delete selected webpages or searches from the history so they will no longer be visible. For survivors of abuse, these tools can be critical to safety and privacy if an abuser is monitoring the computer/device activity by going through the browser history on the device. It’s important to note that in-browser privacy settings will not prevent someone from seeing your computer or device activity if they are using a spyware monitoring product. If you believe that your activity is being remotely monitored by someone, use another device to access information that you wouldn’t want them to see.

Check out the Steps to Increasing Browser Privacy handout for more information.

Safe Surfing! 

Stop. Think. Connect.

The internet is such a big part of our lives. We bank, shop, watch movies, read the news, play games, and do a lot more. We also share a lot about ourselves online, whether it’s letting Sephora (and every online targeted advertiser) know that you're currently looking for the perfect lipstick (which I found, by the way!) or sharing selfies of said perfect lipstick on Facebook. The internet knows a lot about us – just Google yourself. You might be surprised at how well-known you actually are.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month as well as National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). For survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault, online security and safety is imperative; but it’s also important for everyone. One of the theme for NCSAM is STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Before you connect online, stop, and think about your privacy and security. Who’s going to see that selfie on Facebook? Is your connection secure when you type in your credit card information on Sephora’s website? (Tip: Check your Facebook privacy settings, and make sure you’re using an HTTPS connection when sharing sensitive financial information.)

To honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month and National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we’ve put together a series of videos on Online Privacy & Safety. Below is today’s video, and for the next four days, we’ll be releasing a new video in this series (check back here daily or follow NNEDV on social media to see them all!). They’re short and sweet, and we hope they will be helpful.

·        Online Privacy & Safety - Introduction

·        Creating an Account

·        Security Settings

·        Privacy Settings

·        Facebook Privacy, Security & Safety

Meanwhile, if you want more tips on surfing the internet safely, check out:

“Online Privacy & Safety” section in our Technology Safety & Privacy: A Toolkit for Survivors

National Cyber Security Awareness Month’s Tips