Cyber Safety for Survivors of Domestic Violence

Did you know October was both Domestic Violence Awareness Month AND Cybersecurity Awareness Month? Do you know where your devices are and if they are locked? Read on for some great tips as these two issues are more connected than some may think!

 For survivors of domestic and sexual violence, the Internet can quickly become a scary place to interact. Concerns about privacy invasion, stalking, harassment, impersonation, non-consensual intimate image sharing, and other threats can leave people feeling like they have no choice but to avoid online entirely. It’s easy to feel vulnerable and exposed online, so we’ve put together some tips for those who might be looking to feel safer while still staying connected. As Domestic Violence Awareness Month and National Cybersecurity Awareness Month end, we thought it would be a good time to offer some thoughts and tips for survivors to think about.

Adjust Social Media Settings

While online sharing continues to rise in popularity, so do social media security risks. Staying on top of social media account settings can help reduce some of those risks to safety and privacy. By switching your accounts to private mode, you can help prevent other users from viewing your personal information and profile without your permission. Almost all social media platforms also allow you to block people as well; this can be especially helpful if there are people in your life that you don’t want to interact with on social media, or as a remedy to help stop harassment on that platform. A simple “block” can make a big difference. But before blocking someone, consider how this may impact your ability to know if their abusive behavior is escalating, and your ability to document their abusive behavior. Once you block someone, you won’t be able to see what messages and comments they are trying to send you.

 If you’re especially concerned about online privacy, you may also want to consider refraining from posting in real-time, or posting anything that may give an indication of your location. For instance, if you’re at a restaurant, you may want to wait to post about it when you get home, or you may decide that posting about it would be putting more information out about your general location than you are comfortable with. These are simple ways to avoid any potential interactions with people who happen to see your social media and will try to show up where you are, or to prevent them from getting any idea about your location. You may also want to avoid tagging specific locations of restaurants, bars, houses, neighborhoods, etc. as these can leave a trail about your daily patterns for someone looking for clues of it on your social media profile.

For more information about how to navigate social media check out our resources: Privacy & Safety on Facebook and Safety & Privacy on Twitter: A Guide for Survivors of Harassment & Abuse.

Protect Your Devices While on The Go

 It’s no lie – many of us don’t go anywhere without our phones, and sometimes even our laptops go everywhere we go. They’re in our bags, our pockets, and our hands. Sometimes we're using our own data plan, but other times we need to connect to public WiFi. When we do this, it’s important to understand how vulnerable our devices can be while connected to a public Internet connection. For example, while working in a cafe on your laptop, that free Wi-Fi you’re connected to is not as safe as you think. If you can afford investing in a virtual private network (VPN), it can help give you the security you need while on the go. A VPN creates a private network within a public Internet connection. VPN’s mask your IP address, which helps keep your web browsing hidden.

If a VPN isn’t an option you can currently invest in, making sure to only browse sites that use https: protocol can help increase your privacy. While someone may still be able to snoop and see you are on a specific site, they wouldn’t be able to see the details of what you are doing on that site, or what you are looking at on that site.

Arm Your Home Network

Many people might think to lock their doors and windows at home, but may not know how to keep their Internet connection secure. Secure internet connections start with the router. The router communicates between the Internet and all of the devices in your home to deliver a Wi-Fi connection.

When purchasing and setting up a Wi-Fi router there are several things to keep in mind. Do you have any fireplaces or thick walls that will block a signal or weaken signal strength? These structures can block or intercept your Internet connection. Also, make sure the router you’re going to buy is the right size for your home and the amount of devices that will be connecting to it. Security is another important topic to be mindful of as you choose a router. Routers that aren’t secure are vulnerable to being hacked, and once hacked, someone can potentially install viruses or malware onto any of your devices. Find a router that has network level protection, including automatic updates, signed firmware updates, and device quarantine. Last but not least, find a router that is easy to navigate and control. Look for other features that might be helpful to those who are using it in your home. This includes parental controls, guest networks, and network management. Don’t skimp on a router - it helps more than you think. For more on WiFi security, check out our resource WiFi Safety & Privacy: Tips for Victim Service Agencies & Survivors.

 Enable Additional Authentication

When logging into online accounts, or even some phones and devices themselves, there’s often an option for an additional form of authentication. This is known as two-factor authentication, and it allows the user to add an extra layer of protection to their account or device by not only creating a complex and difficult password, but allowing a special code to be sent to their phone every time a login occurs. This means that if someone is trying to login to your account or device and it isn’t you, you’ll know about it and be able to stop them from going any further. This is especially important for email accounts where you might have more personal or financial information that you wouldn’t want others accessing. For more on password security and two factor authentication check out our resource Passwords: Simple Ways to Increase Your Security.