Computer Safety

Hope Harbour

Columbus Alliance for Battered Women, Inc.

Striving to build safer and healthier lives for women and their families.

Warning on Internet and Computer Safety

WARNING

Technology could make it possible for your abuser to see what Internet sites you have visited.

Email is not a safe or confidential way to talk to someone about the danger or abuse in your life. Please call a telephone hotline instead.

Traditional "corded" phones are more private than cell phones or cordless phones.

EXPLANATION

There are hundreds of ways computers record everything you do on the computer and on the Internet. They can provide a lot of information about what you look at on the Internet, the Emails you send, etc. It is not possible to delete or clear all computer "footprints" and information that you want to keep private.

If you are in danger, please try to use a safer computer, meaning one that your abuser cannot access. It might be safer to use a computer in a public library, a community technology center, or an Internet Cafe. When you are done with a public computer, log out of all programs completely (don't just close the Internet Explorer/browser window). It's best to shut down and/or restart the computer.

TO CLEAR THE INTERNET EXPLORER HISTORY FILE

Although it is impossible to completely clear computer use, these are instructions on how to clear the History/Cache in Internet Explorer 4.0 and above on a PC:

1.   Select "Internet Options" under the "View" or "Tools" option (depending on the version you are running) on
      the.
2.   Under the "General" folder under "Internet Options," there is a called "History." Change the "Days to
      keep pages in History" to 0 and click the "Clear History" button.
3.   Click "Apply" at the bottom of the "Internet Options" box, then click "OK."
4.   To double check that everything is cleared, click the "History" button on the web browser - it should be
      empty. Also, click the arrow on the right of the URL address box - it should be empty as well.

Internet Explorer 4.0 and above for MacIntosh:

1.   In Internet Explorer 4 or above, open the Edit menu, and then click on Preferences.
2.   Double click on "Web Browser" until the list drops down.
3.   Select "Advanced."
4.   You will see a box called "Cache," and click on "Empty Now" button.
5.   Click "OK," then Quit from Internet Explorer and restart your computer if you need to.