Last year, NNEDV teamed up with Facebook to create Safety & Privacy on Facebook: A Guide for Survivors of Abuse. This guide lays out both basic and more advanced privacy and safety features of Facebook, which can help survivors when they are trying to maximize privacy when using Facebook or are attempting to document an abusers’ online harassment.

This year, as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, NNEDV and Facebook worked together to update the guide and translate it into several languages, including Spanish, French, Chinese, and Vietnamese. The updates include guidance on new features and any privacy and security settings that have changed. A new feature that is explained further in the guide is the Download Your Information (DYI) Tool. This tool allows users to download most of their Facebook activity and content, including posts made by other people on the users’ account. For survivors of harassment and stalking, this can be used to document abuse.

The guide addresses privacy within Facebook, as well as safety tips and options for when someone is misusing the site to harass, monitor, threaten, or stalk. It refers back to Facebook’s Help Center in several places for more detailed information on settings and features – a site that all Facebook users should check out.

We believe strongly that everyone has a right to privacy and safety, both offline and online. We also know how important is it for survivors to remain connected to both family and friends and to maintain control over their personal information. Although we often hear suggestions that survivors shouldn’t use social media, we don’t agree that this is a solution. Getting off social media doesn’t guarantee any level of safety or privacy. Additionally, online spaces can decrease isolation and offer much support for survivors, especially when they offer privacy and security controls to the user. Survivors shouldn’t have to worry about their safety when they want to connect with friends and family online. It is critical that survivors have the information that they need to navigate their lives safely, which in today’s digital age, includes online spaces.

Since joining Facebook’s Safety Advisory Board in 2010, NNEDV has embraced its partnership with Facebook to consistently support the needs of victims of domestic violence, dating abuse, cyber-stalking, and teen dating violence. As we continue our efforts together to enhance the safety and privacy for survivors who are online, NNEDV thanks all those at Facebook for their dedicated efforts to make Facebook a safe environment for all users.

Please check out the Safety & Privacy on Facebook: A Guide for Survivors of Abuse and share with others!

English - Safety & Privacy on Facebook: A Guide for Survivors of Abuse

Spanish - Safety & Privacy on Facebook: A Guide for Survivors of Abuse

French - Safety & Privacy on Facebook: A Guide for Survivors of Abuse

Vietnamese - Safety & Privacy on Facebook: A Guide for Survivors of Abuse

Chinese - Safety & Privacy on Facebook: A Guide for Survivors of Abuse