If you’re a victim of domestic violence, seeking help online can be a critical step in your journey to safety. However, it’s equally important to protect yourself from an abuser who may monitor your online activity. Here are 5 essential tips to hide your internet search history and protect your privacy:
Use Private Browsing:
Most browsers offer a “Private” or “Incognito” mode, which doesn’t save your browsing history, cookies, or search records. This feature is available on browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. To activate it, open a new window in private mode by going to the browser menu.
Clear Your Search History:
If you can’t use private browsing, manually clear your browsing history. In your browser settings, you’ll find an option to delete history and cookies. Be sure to erase all traces of recent searches.
Use a Different Browser or Device:
Whenever possible, use a public computer (such as at a library), a trusted friend’s device, or your mobile phone rather than a shared computer at home. This minimizes the chance of your abuser seeing what websites you’ve visited.
Clear Search Suggestions:
If you’re using a search engine like Google, it may remember what you’ve typed, even if you delete your history. Turn off or clear search suggestions by going to your Google account settings.
Use the “Quick Exit” button:
Our website’s “Quick Exit” button instantly closes the site and erases any evidence of your visit.
If you’re in immediate danger, call 911. For more help, call us at 1-800-572-2278.
Stay safe, and know that support is available!