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INTERNET SAFETY

Last updated: June 16, 2026

Your safety matters to us. If someone monitors what you do online, visiting this website could put you at risk. This page explains how to browse more safely and how to leave quickly if you need to.

Leave this site quickly

If you need to hide this page right away, click the escape or quick exit button if one appears on the screen, or close your browser window. You can also open a different site, such as a weather or news page, so this site is no longer showing.

Closing a page does not erase the record of your visit. Please read the rest of this page to understand how a visit can be traced.

How your activity can be seen

A web browser keeps a history of the pages you visit. It may also save passwords, fill in forms automatically, and store small files from sites you have used.

Another person with access to your device, your account, or your home network may be able to see this history. Some monitoring software can record everything done on a device, and that kind of software cannot always be detected.

For these reasons, the safest choice is to use a device that the person who may be watching you cannot access. A computer at a public library, at the home of someone you trust, or at a community center is often safer than a device in your home.

Using a safer device

If you can, use a phone or computer that the other person does not control and cannot check. Avoid a shared family computer or a phone on a shared plan when looking for help.

If you must use your own device, consider clearing your browsing history after each visit. Keep in mind that suddenly clearing all history can itself look unusual to someone who checks regularly. You know your situation best.

Private browsing

Most browsers offer a private or incognito mode. This mode keeps the browser from saving your history on that one device. It does not hide your activity from monitoring software, from your internet provider, or from your employer’s network. Treat private browsing as one small step, not as full protection.

Email, text, and messages

Email and text messages can be read by someone who has your password or your device. If you contact us, think about whether your account is truly private. You may prefer to call our crisis line from a safe phone instead of sending a written message.

If you create a new email account for safety reasons, set it up on a safer device and choose a password the other person cannot guess.

Computer and phone tracking

Be aware that location sharing, shared photo libraries, find-my-device features, and family tracking apps can reveal where you are and what you do. If it is safe to do so, you may want to review these settings on your phone. If changing them could raise suspicion, wait until you are in a safe place or speak with an advocate first.

If you are in danger

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

For confidential support at any hour, call our crisis line at the number listed on our Contact page. An advocate can talk through a safety plan with you, including how to use technology more safely.

A final word

No single step makes the internet completely safe when someone is watching. The strongest protection is to seek help from a device and a connection that the other person cannot reach. Please take care of yourself, and reach out when you are able.