Using technology safely

If you are impacted by domestic and family violence (DFV), it's important you can keep in touch with your trusted support network — such as friends and family — and keep your personal affairs in order by safely using technology such as internet banking, email, and social media.

DFV isn't just physical abuse.

Some non-physical forms of DFV include controlling behaviour and stalking. This can include using technology to keep track of where you are, who you talk to, what you do with your money and how your images are used. This behaviour can make you feel scared, intimated or unsafe, and it is never okay.

There are simple steps you can take to protect your personal information and increase your security online.

eSafety Commissioner technology tour

Take the eSafety Commissioner technology tour and discover new ways to protect yourself and your personal information.

Technology safety planning

Phone calls

Landlines

• If you use a landline, be aware that most modern phones include a digital log of previously dialled and received phone numbers. Depending on the settings on the phone, you may be able to delete or erase the last number dialled at the end of the call.
• It is also important to be aware that some landlines include a ‘call share’ feature that enables another person to join or listen into a call when a secondary handset is on an outside call. For these landlines, you will need to know the phone settings to turn on the privacy mode and stop another person from listening in.
• If you need to change settings, it may be useful to google the model of the phone for a user manual to work through the phone’s features.
• Many landlines also enable the handset to be locked so that no calls or setting changes can be made, with only incoming calls able to be answered. Set up in this way, the landline in your home may be part of coercive control behaviours you are experiencing.

Mobile phones and smart phones

• If you are using a phone provided by a person who is abusing you, consider turning it off when it's not in use.
• Check the phone settings; if your smartphone has an optional location service, you may want to switch the location feature off/on via the phone settings menu to support keeping your location secure and private.
• Calls made and received on your mobile phone can be removed from the device by deleting them from the call log. In most phones the call log can be found via the 'Settings' menu.
• Where you want to keep your call information private, consider using a prepaid phone card so you won't get numbers listed on your telephone bill.
• Make sure you use a pin code or pattern lock to password protect access to your phone.
• Set your device to time out and lock after a period of inactivity (30 seconds or one minute).
• Remember to also delete any text messages that you don't want to share or want someone else to see. Consider taking a screenshot of any abusive texts and emailing them to a safe private email account for future reference and evidence collection.
• It is important that you are aware people using violence can access information through shared apps, cloud devices and smartphones. You may want to think about accessing a second, safe phone and leaving your other phone at home if you think you are being monitored.

Online

Online browsing

Online searches and visits to websites can be easily traced in a computer's browser. Spyware software can be used to monitor a person’s computer use. When you visit a webpage, it is recorded in 3 places on your computer’s browser: the cache, history and typed URLs. You can clear these lists temporarily, but you would have to do this every time you use the internet to hide the websites you have visited from other users. It is not possible to delete or hide all of the ‘tracks’ you leave when using a computer. Try to use a safe computer – a device the person using violence doesn’t have access to – when you are looking for help online or accessing your personal accounts.

Online accounts

• Use a safe computer to access your online accounts. This could be a family member or friend’s computer, or a computer at your local library or internet café.
• Some internet accounts hold personal information such as your address details and mobile phone number. Consider setting up new online accounts and regularly change your password and login details for online banking, email, social media accounts, PayPal, Google, and Medicare.
• It is highly advisable to use different passwords for each of your online accounts.
• Many online accounts will provide a function to remember your login details, or to keep you logged into the account even when you navigate away from the webpage. Always say 'No' to prompts for the computer to remember your details and ensure you log off the account before exiting the site.

Email

• If you are concerned someone may have access to your email account, consider setting up an alternative email account on a safe computer.
• Free web-based accounts such as Gmail are easy to set up and can be accessed from any computer, mobile or smart device.
• Use a non-identifying username, e.g. springtime@email.com, change your password for the account every 3 months, and always ensure you log off before exiting the site.

Social media

Social networking sites such as Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram provide an easy way for someone to find, track and follow a person. If you are using social media accounts, your privacy settings and the automatic location sharing settings may be putting you at risk.

• Use the privacy settings to control who can see your personal information.
• You can also adjust your account settings to block users who you don’t want to see your profile.
• You may want to consider changing your profile picture from a photo of yourself to a more generic image.
• It is also a good idea to change the password for your account every 3 months.
• If you suspect someone is checking your social media, consider creating an account using an anonymous name and email account.

Mobile and smart devices

Location services, GPS and Bluetooth

Smart and mobile devices have built-in features that can pinpoint where you are. This information can be published online through social media sites or used by location-based services such as maps. It can also be saved in images you take with your device. ‘Checking in’ on social media sites lets people know where you are and what you're doing in real time.

• You can switch off location services by going into the ‘Settings’ menu on your phone.
• If you use Bluetooth, you can change the settings so that your phone cannot be ‘found’ by other people’s devices.
• Double check your privacy settings, so that if you do share location information, it’s only accessible to the people you want to see it.

Apps

• Before installing any app for Android or iOS, make sure you view the rights and permissions that the app will have once it is installed on your device. The permissions can include making calls, connecting to the internet, making use of your contact lists or browsing history and sharing your use of the app.
• If you are not comfortable with the permissions the app will have, cancel the installation.

Smart device tracking and spyware

Most modern mobile phones and smart devices, including tablets and watches, can be used to track the owner’s location. Tracking and spyware applications can be installed on a mobile phone or device without the owner’s knowledge or consent and use the device’s GPS or Wi-Fi data to relay tracking information to another person. Some applications also remotely monitor additional private information such as calls, texts, emails, websites visited and photos taken using the device.

• Removing or exchanging a SIM card is not enough to prevent tracking as the application may remain on the phone. Having the device turned off will avoid data being sent to another person, but this is not a practical solution, and the risk returns if the device is switched back on.
• If in any doubt about your phone or device’s security, the safest way to remove such an application is to reset your mobile device from within the Settings menu i.e. factory data reset. It is important to backup or write down your contacts first as these will be deleted. Other items such as photos and music which are saved on the internal memory will also be deleted. Items stored on an external (removable) SD card should not be affected by a data reset.

If the security of your mobile or smart device has been compromised

• Turn off the GPS functionality (Location Services) on your device in the ‘Settings’ menu to stop location tracking.
• A factory data reset will restore the device back to its original state. It will delete the internal storage, erase all personal data and settings and will remove all installed applications including any tracking or spyware apps. This option can be accessed through the ‘Settings’ menu for most phones/devices (Android and iPhone).
• A factory data reset will also remove contacts and messages. You may want to save your contacts to the SIM card, back-up contacts to an SD card or computer, or write important contacts down somewhere safe. For most mobile phones, applications are available to back up contacts and SMS if required. Photos and music can also be backed up to an SD card or computer before resetting the device.
• Check the applications list in your phone/device for any applications that look suspicious and that you didn't install. They're likely to appear in the applications list under an unassuming name such as ‘radio’ app. Uninstall any apps you didn't install.
• Buy an alternative second-hand, inexpensive or pre-paid phone to use until you feel confident that your other phone is not relaying your location and private information.
• Turn off your device and only use it in an emergency.
• If you experience issues in resetting your mobile phone or smart device or erasing the storage, content and settings, a mobile phone store should be able to provide assistance.

Your home

Our lives are filled with internet-enabled technology such as CCTV, home alarms, gaming consoles, smart TVs, voice-controlled virtual assistants like Alexa or Google Home or smart appliances like fridges. Your car may also contain technology such as GPS navigation systems that can be compromised. Take the eSafety Commissioner technology tour and discover new ways to protect yourself and your personal information.

Involve children impacted by DFV in eSafety

Caring for children while dealing with domestic and family violence or online abuse can be very challenging. There are ways to help children stay connected online while keeping them, and you, safe. You can find steps to support safety in eSafety planning.

You can also view the eSafety Commissioner’s technology tour and discover new ways to protect yourself and your personal information.

Safe mobile apps

Daisy is an app developed by 1800RESPECT to connect people experiencing violence or abuse to services in their local area. Daisy can be downloaded for free from the app store or Google Play. Once the app is on your phone, you can use it to search for support services in your local area. Choose the type of service you would like (for example 'Legal services' or 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services') and select your state or territory to find services near you.

You can visit service websites from within the app, which means these sites won't show up in your browser history. This can help protect your privacy, especially if another person has access to your device. Each listing includes information about opening times, how to get in touch and the services they offer.

You can download the app by visiting the 1800RESPECT website.

Keeping your personal information safe

If you are leaving a relationship or living with violence or abuse, there are things you can do to keep your personal information safe:

• Protect your license information
• Protect your identity if your license has been compromised
• Technology and safety | 1800RESPECT