A security expert’s guide for digital domestic violence victims
Domestic abuse takes many forms. And given the future we live in, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that your digital life is another venue for intimidation. If you find yourself in such a situation where your phone is being used against you, Hack*Blossom has put together a guide for how to protect yourself from location stalking and text abuse, among other scenarios.
“Without judgment or obligation, DIY Cybersecurity for Domestic Violence explores cybersecurity strategies that offer immediate and tangible protection for survivors,” Hack*Blossom’s Noah Kelley writes. “Every strategy is written for accessibility, emphasizing the security potential of existing technologies while minimizing the need for new products.”
Kelley says that what started as a feminist guide to cybersecurity quickly turned into something different, as readers began detailing what they’d been through. “It was a hacked iPhone recording texts. It was a fake Facebook profile threatening physical harm. The loftier threats of political surveillance started to feel irrelevant,” he writes.
Some advice is simple, like using two-factor authentication to guard against unauthorized logins and password changes. Other information is a little more in depth, like explaining how to guard against intimate media being distributed online, and who to contact if it is.
If you or someone you know are yourself in an abusive situation, The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers 24/7 support at 1-800-799-7233 and 1-800-787-3224. Live chat is available online from 7am to 2am Central Time if making a phone call isn’t possible.
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