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10 Online and Digital Safety Tips for Survivors of TFSV

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1.     Change your privacy settings on social media

a.     Set your account to private so less people can access your profile

b.     Create a secondary account with a pseudonym and face-less/unidentifiable photos to share with new acquaintances

c.     Check for un-authorized and unknown devices attached to your accounts (Tip: if you identify any unknown devices, take a screenshot of the device name and location and then block them remove/block them from your account)



2.     Conduct digital documentation and safe records keeping

a.     If you have the capacity, save screenshots, downloads and screen recorded videos of the messages, photos and videos shared, along with the (potential threats) of extortion that were shared.

b.     If you don’t have the capacity, ask a trusted friend or family member to help you save the digital evidence.

c.     Save this content to a secure cloud storage platform like Sync




3.     Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all of your digital accounts

a.     2FA adds a secondary layer of protection to your accounts that complements your initial password. Examples of 2FA can include push notifications to your second device to confirm your login, mandatory safety questions to respond to, a verification code sent to your phone number or email, or a USB security stick such as YubiKey (Yubikey security sticks can be purchased for $30+ on Amazon Canada or on their official website)


4.     Enrol in a digital self-defence course

a.     Digital self-defence courses provide thorough information, best practices and case studies to enhance individuals’ understanding on how to pro-actively minimize their risks of experiencing online violations (e.g. online stalking, harassment etc.).


5.     Adjust your location-sharing practices

a.     Only share your location with 1-2 trusted individuals (e.g. parent, sibling, etc.)

b.     Limit the time(s) when you share your location with these trusted individuals

c.     Disable the automatic tracking options on your browsers, online apps and digital devices in the settings app

d.     Use a VPN to mask your virtual location



6.     Create strong and complex passwords

a.     Add a combination of 10+ special characters, numbers, upper and lower case letters in your password

b.     Write your passwords down in a physical notebook and update them regularly

c.     Don’t share your password with your partner, friends or peers

d.     Refrain from automatically saving your passwords on shared devices (e.g. a home computer that you share with your partner, the library’s computers etc.)


7.     Create "fake" responses to your security questions

a.     Security questions can typically ask about significant memories of your life such as your favourite colour, song, vacation spot etc. Rather than giving a genuine answer, we advise creating an answer that includes a combination of numbers, special characters, upper and lower case letters. (Tip: you can use a password generator to give you an example of a very strong password, and then add/edit the characters and numbers listed in the suggested password)





8.     Remove the metadata from your social media photos

a.     When you take a photo with a digital camera or your cell phone, those devices often capture metadata such as your approximate location, the name of your device, the time that the photo was taken, the type of device that you are using and other details. Through your camera settings, you can edit those automatically turned on features and request to not save your location attached to your photo.

b.     Also turn off the shared photo albums feature on your devices.


9.     Delete old intimate messages, videos, photos and voice notes on your devices and social media accounts

a.     If you are no longer in a relationship with your romantic partner(s) or friends with benefits, delete any intimate images, videos, messages or voice notes that they shared with you on your devices. While this may not entirely prevent a malicious hacker from stealing the data, it will render it more challenging for novice hackers to find.


10.  Limit the personal information that you share with new people

a.     Although it’s easy to share when developing a new friendship, romantic or sexual partnership, try to limit sharing certain personal details.

b.     Consider using a pseudonym when exchanging messages with new acquaintances/strangers

 

 

 

Here are some common websites and apps that people share passwords for:

 

We advise that you create secondary accounts with their own unique passwords for your family or partner to use


·      UberEats

·      SkiptheDishes

·      DoorDash

·      Uber

·      Lyft

·      Google Drive

·      Netflix

·      Crave

·      Hulu

·      Disney+

·      Amazon Prime

·      Spotify

·      Apple Music

·      Google Home

 

 

Suggested reading

 

Technological self-defense guide for victims of

 

 

How to enable two factor authentication - https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-enable-two-factor-authentication

 

 

A Glossary of Commonly Used Digital safety terms - https://www.digitale-gesellschaft.ch/ratgeber/en/#soziale-netzwerke

 

Academic Books on Sexual Violence Prevention - https://libguides.mcmaster.ca/c.php?g=731366&p=5252935

 

Adjusting your privacy settings on social media - https://chayn.gitbook.io/diy-online-safety/english/social-media

 

 

Feminist Internet Principles - https://feministinternet.org/en/principles



Final note:


Remember, technology is a powerful tool in your journey towards empowerment. Embrace these safety tips, stay connected with support networks, and never hesitate to seek help when needed. Your safety matters, and by taking proactive steps, you can assert control over your well-being in any situation.

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