Cover your tracks online with these helpful tips
Protecting yourself online
If you're concerned about protecting yourself online from someone you know, here are some tips to consider.
Protect your main email account
Access to it could be used to gain access to other services. Having a strong password for your main email account is most important because it serves as the gateway to many of your other online accounts
Change your passwords
The importance of creating a strong password for your accounts. Changing your password is an easy and simple task that should be done regularly to maintain the security of your online accounts. It only takes a few minutes and can help prevent unauthorised access to your sensitive information
Use MFA/2FA (multi-factor authentication
Also known as 2FA (2 Factor Authentication), MFA ensures that even if someone knows your password, they cannot gain access to your account without also having access to the second factor, such as a verification code sent to your phone or email. You may be already using this for other services, such as banking. This can help prevent unauthorised access to personal and sensitive information, increasing your privacy and safety.
Be mindful about what you share publicly online
Privacy settings on social media are a good way to protect yourself and your information from unwanted visitors. Without proper settings in place, your personal information and activities can be exposed to the public, potentially leading to identity theft, harassment, or other negative consequences. Therefore, taking the time to review and adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms is an important step in ensuring your online safety and security.
Clear your browsing history and cache regularly
Clearing browsing history is important because it can help prevent others from monitoring your online activity and seeing your sensitive information. It can also help protect your privacy and prevent someone from seeing a particular website that you didn’t want them to know you visited.
See below for details
Private Browsing
By using your web browser private or incognito browsing mode your history will not be saved to your device preventing someone who has access toit from knowing what you’ve been viewing.
See below for details
Passcodes and Biometric security
Use passcodes or Biometric security on your devices. Using Biometric Security such as Fingerprint or Face ID will ensure that your devices can only be unlocked by your touch or face. Each device will need to be setup individually and most modern phones or tablets will guide you through this process on during initial setup.
Disable location tracking on your devices
Most mobile devices are now GPS enabled which increases the chance that someone can track your location based on your phone. We’ve found an excellent guide that will help you determine if you are being tracked and how to disable this feature. How to Stop Someone From Tracking Your Phone | AVG. Disabling features such as find my phone functions and family sharing are also highly recommended.
Logging other devices out of your account
Know how to log other devices out of your accounts. Use the “Force logout of all sessions” feature on social media to prevent an unwanted person from having access to your account if it was left logged in to a device that they have access to. This can also help prevent tracking and monitoring of online activity, allowing you to maintain their privacy and safety. To force logout all sessions on Facebook, go to your Facebook Security and Login settings, click on "Where You're Logged In," find the session(s) you want to end, click "Log Out" foreach session, and then click "Log Out of All Sessions" to end all logged-in sessions for your Facebook account. All other major social media networks will have a feature similar to this which you should familiarise yourself with
Protect your main email account
Access to it could be used to gain access to other services. Having a strong password for your main email account is most important because it serves as the gateway to many of your other online accounts
Change your passwords
The importance of creating a strong password for your accounts. Changing your password is an easy and simple task that should be done regularly to maintain the security of your online accounts. It only takes a few minutes and can help prevent unauthorised access to your sensitive information
Use MFA/2FA (multi-factor authentication
Also known as 2FA (2 Factor Authentication), MFA ensures that even if someone knows your password, they cannot gain access to your account without also having access to the second factor, such as a verification code sent to your phone or email. You may be already using this for other services, such as banking. This can help prevent unauthorised access to personal and sensitive information, increasing your privacy and safety.
Be mindful about what you share publicly online
Privacy settings on social media are a good way to protect yourself and your information from unwanted visitors. Without proper settings in place, your personal information and activities can be exposed to the public, potentially leading to identity theft, harassment, or other negative consequences. Therefore, taking the time to review and adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms is an important step in ensuring your online safety and security.
Clear your browsing history and cache regularly
Clearing browsing history is important because it can help prevent others from monitoring your online activity and seeing your sensitive information. It can also help protect your privacy and prevent someone from seeing a particular website that you didn’t want them to know you visited.
See below for details
Private Browsing
By using your web browser private or incognito browsing mode your history will not be saved to your device preventing someone who has access toit from knowing what you’ve been viewing.
See below for details
Passcodes and Biometric security
Use passcodes or Biometric security on your devices. Using Biometric Security such as Fingerprint or Face ID will ensure that your devices can only be unlocked by your touch or face. Each device will need to be setup individually and most modern phones or tablets will guide you through this process on during initial setup.
Disable location tracking on your devices
Most mobile devices are now GPS enabled which increases the chance that someone can track your location based on your phone. We’ve found an excellent guide that will help you determine if you are being tracked and how to disable this feature. How to Stop Someone From Tracking Your Phone | AVG. Disabling features such as find my phone functions and family sharing are also highly recommended.
Logging other devices out of your account
Know how to log other devices out of your accounts. Use the “Force logout of all sessions” feature on social media to prevent an unwanted person from having access to your account if it was left logged in to a device that they have access to. This can also help prevent tracking and monitoring of online activity, allowing you to maintain their privacy and safety. To force logout all sessions on Facebook, go to your Facebook Security and Login settings, click on "Where You're Logged In," find the session(s) you want to end, click "Log Out" foreach session, and then click "Log Out of All Sessions" to end all logged-in sessions for your Facebook account. All other major social media networks will have a feature similar to this which you should familiarise yourself with
Private browsing (also called incognito browsing)
Web browsers offer a feature that opens a new, private window that deletes your browsing history after you close it. This may be called Incognito Mode, Private Browsing or InPrivate Browsing.
Chrome
- When Incognito Mode is activated on Google Chrome, the browser won’t save your browsing history, cookies, site data or any information submitted on forms. However, it will keep any files you’ve downloaded and your bookmarks.
- To enable Incognito on Google Chrome, click the menu in the top right corner of the browser window. Click New Incognito Window and start browsing.
- Alternatively, in the browser window, press Ctrl + Shift + N.
The following link may also be helpful: Google Chrome Help
Safari
- Safari’s “Private” window removes browsing history, form data, cookies, and also deletes temporary files. To enable Private browsing, choose File, New Private Window, or switch to a Safari window that’s already using Private Browsing.
The following link may also be helpful: Apple Safari Support
Edge
- To enable InPrivate browsing on Microsoft Edge, click the menu in the top right corner of the window and select New InPrivate window. You can right-click on the Edge taskbar icon and select New InPrivate window.
- Alternatively, in the browser window, press Ctrl+ Shift + N.
The following links may also be helpful: Microsoft Edge Support , Microsoft Edge Insider
Firefox
- Mozilla’s “Private Browsing” mode is similar to the other browsers but offers additional tracking protection. To launch private browsing in Firefox, click on the three lines at the top right and select New Private Window.
- Alternatively, you in the browser window, press Ctrl + Shift + P.
The following link may also be helpful: Mozilla Firefox Support
Deleting browser history
Web browsers can store a lot of personal information. You can increase your privacy by clearing your browsing history.
Chrome
- Click on the browser menu (3 vertical dots), then select Settings, then Clear browsing data.
- Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
- From Settings click Privacy and Security.
- Choose the time range from the Time range drop-down menu.
- Select the types of data you want to clear.
- Select the Clear data button.
The following link may also be helpful: Google Chrome Help
Safari
- In the menu bar, select History, then Clear History at the bottom of the menu.
- Choose a time range from the drop-down menu.
- Select the Clear History button.
The following link may also be helpful: Apple Safari Support
Edge
- Click on the browser menu (3 horizontal dots), then select Settings then Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, select Choose what to clear.
- Choose a time range from the Time range drop-down menu.
- Select the types of data you want to clear.
- Select the Clear now button.
The following links may also be helpful: Microsoft Edge Support , Microsoft Edge Insider
Firefox
- Click on the browser menu (3 horizontal bars), then select History, then Clear Recent History.
- Choose the time range from the Time range to clear drop-down menu.
- Select the types of data you want to clear.
- Select the OK button.
The following link may also be helpful: Mozilla Firefox Support
Supporting Victim-Survivors
Family Action provides confidential support in West Auckland for all victim-survivors of family harm, sexual harm, abuse, or trauma. Your experiences may be historical or current. We will provide support to you and your family/whānau.
Are you in an abusive relationship?
Are you concerned about your relationship? Abusive behaviours can be physical actions or they can be more subtle. It can be saying things to you or feeling forced to do something because you’re fearful of their reaction.
Take an anonymous online test to check how your partner or ex’s actions impact you.
