Digital Safety Overview

A complete overview of digital risks and practical steps to protect your phone, accounts, and devices.

Digital Safety Overview

1. High-Risk Areas to Review

These are common places where someone might access your information or activity.

Phone

• Unlocked phone with no PIN or simple PIN (e.g., 0000, 1234, birth year).
• Biometrics (fingerprint/face) that the other person can use while you sleep or are distracted.
• Notification previews on the lock screen showing messages, emails, or app alerts.
• “Trusted devices” or “Smart Lock” features that keep the phone unlocked at home, in a car, or near another device.

Accounts

• Email accounts that are always signed in on shared or old devices.
• Weak or reused passwords across email, banking, social media, storage, and work accounts.
• Recovery email or phone number that belongs to, or is still accessible by, the other person.
• Access through saved passwords in browsers (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, etc.).

Apps

• Messaging apps (SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.) left open or backed up to a shared cloud account.
• Location-sharing apps and services (Find My, Google Maps sharing, Life360, etc.).
• Cloud backup apps that sync photos, messages, and files to shared accounts.
• Unknown or unfamiliar apps installed on your device, especially those with location, microphone, or camera access.

Shared Devices and Services

• Shared phones, tablets, laptops, or gaming systems.
• Household computers where multiple people log in to the same user account.
• Smart home devices: cameras, doorbells, speakers, TVs, thermostats, and car systems.
• Wi-Fi routers and internet accounts controlled by the other person.

2. Immediate Steps (5)

These options focus on small changes that can often be done quietly. Adjust based on your situation and safety plan.

1. Check account recovery details
   • Review the recovery email and phone number for your main email account.
   • Note any recovery contacts or backup codes stored in your phone or elsewhere.
   • Decide whether changing these details would be noticed or create conflict.
2. Turn off or review location sharing
   • Check location sharing in your phone settings and in major apps (maps, social media, family locator apps).
   • Identify any devices or people who can currently see your location.
   • Consider whether changing these settings could alert someone (e.g., “location sharing stopped” notifications).
3. Review devices signed in to your accounts
   • Open your main email and major social media accounts and look for “devices,” “security,” or “where you’re signed in.”
   • Write down any devices you do not recognize or no longer use.
   • Decide whether to log out of old devices now or plan this for later as part of a broader safety plan.
4. Reduce what shows on your lock screen
   • Turn off message previews on your lock screen where possible.
   • Limit which apps can show notifications on the lock screen.
   • Consider using generic notification settings (e.g., “New message” without content).
5. Start a secure “new” contact point (if safe)
   • Consider setting up a new email address or messaging app that is not shared or known.
   • Only access it from devices you believe are safer (for example, a work computer if appropriate, or a library computer).
   • Use this new contact point for information, safety planning, and important accounts when ready.

3. Understanding Digital Footprints

Your “digital footprint” is the record of where you sign in, what you use, and what is stored about you online and on devices.

• Account activity logs: Many services record sign-ins, locations, devices, and recent actions.
• Backups: Cloud backups can store messages, photos, files, and app data, even after you delete items on a device.
• Syncing: Browsers and apps may sync passwords, history, contacts, and files across multiple devices.
• Location history: Some phones and apps track where you have been over time.
• Shared calendars and notes: Events, notes, and reminders may be visible across shared accounts.

When reviewing your digital footprint, it can be useful to:

• List the main accounts you use (email, phone accounts, cloud storage, messaging, social media, banking, work systems).
• Identify which devices connect to each account.
• Note who set them up, who knows the passwords, and where recovery codes might be stored.

4. How Monitoring Can Happen

Monitoring can range from simple access to more technical methods. The approach you choose depends on what you think is realistic for your situation.

• Shared passwords or unlocked access
  • The other person knows your PIN, passwords, or unlock patterns.
  • They can briefly access your phone or computer when you are not present.
• Saved logins on shared devices
  • Accounts remain signed in on a household computer, tablet, or smart TV.
  • Browsers auto-fill your usernames and passwords.
• Location and device tracking
  • Location sharing is enabled in phone settings or family locator apps.
  • Car systems, smartwatches, or fitness trackers share movement or location.
  • “Find my device” services are connected to a shared or known account.
• Cloud and backup access
  • Photos, contacts, and messages are backed up to a shared cloud account.
  • The other person has the login for your cloud storage or backup services.
• Smart home and Wi-Fi
  • Smart speakers, cameras, or doorbells are linked to an account they control.
  • The Wi-Fi router logs websites, connected devices, and sometimes traffic details.
• Specialized monitoring apps or tools
  • Some apps are designed specifically for tracking or monitoring.
  • These may be disguised as other types of apps (for example, utilities or games).
  • Removing or changing them without a plan can sometimes increase attention or suspicion.

5. First Changes to Make Today

These are lower-visibility adjustments that many people can make without drawing much attention. Choose only what fits your situation.

• Quietly document what you have
  • Write down or store (in a safe place) a list of your key accounts and the devices that use them.
  • Note anything that already seems unsafe, such as unknown devices or logins.
• Strengthen one key account
  • Prioritize the email account that controls password resets for other services.
  • Consider using a stronger password that is not reused elsewhere, if it feels safe to change it.
• Reduce automatic visibility
  • Shorten the auto-lock time on your phone or device where possible.
  • Turn off previews of messages on the lock screen for sensitive apps.
• Check app permissions
  • Open your phone’s app permissions list.
  • Look for apps with access to location, microphone, camera, SMS, or accessibility services.
  • Note any apps you do not recognize or no longer use; decide later how and when to remove or adjust them.
• Plan your next three digital safety steps
  • Choose a small number of next steps, such as reviewing more accounts, starting a new secure contact method, or adjusting location settings.
  • Decide where and when you would do each step, and from which device.

Recommended Articles

• Safety Planning Checklist
• Gathering Evidence
• Secure Communication Options
• Technology and Stalking Risks
• Preparing to Leave Safely