Internet Safety Information
WARNING
Taking
all of the actions on this page may not prevent an abuser from
discovering your email and Internet activity. The safest way to
find information on the Internet is to go to a safer computer -
perhaps at a library,your workplace or a friend's house. Other safety
suggestions: Change your password often, do not pick obvious words or
numbers for your password, and pick a combination of letters and numbers.
HOW YOUR ABUSER CAN TRACK YOUR ACTIVITIES
There
is a history/cache file on your computer which automatically lists and
saves web pages you've visited. If your abuser knows how to access this
file, he or she will know what sites you've been visiting.
You can clear your history/cache file.
After
you read these instructions and understand what to do, please close your
Internet Browser. Restart your browser and then follow the instructions
to clear your history/cache file.
Internet Explorer Users:
PC -
-
Pull down Tools menu, select Internet Options. On General page, under Temporary Internet Files, click on Delete Files. If asked, check the box to delete all offline content.
-
Still within the Temporary Internet Files section, click on Settings
(This step may make it harder to navigate pages where you'd like your
information to be remembered, but these remaining cookies show website
pages you have visited). Click on View Files. Manually highlight all the files(cookies) shown, then hit delete. Close that window, then on the General Page under History, click Clear History
-
Next select Internet Options under the View option on the toolbar
-
On General Page, click on History. Change the "Days to keep pages in History" to "0" and then click Clear History
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Click Apply at the bottom of the Internet Options box, then click OK
-
To make sure everything is cleared, click the History button
on the toolbar - it should be empty. Also, click the arrow on the right
of the URL Address box - it should be empty as well.
MAC -
-
Open the Edit menu and then click Preferences
-
Double click on Web Browser until the list drops down
-
Select Advanced
-
You will see a box called Cache - click on Empty Now
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Click OK, then quit from Internet Explorer and restart your computer.
Netscape Users:
-
Pull down Edit menu, select Preferences. Click on Navigator or choose Clear History. Click on Advanced then select Cache. Click on Clear Disk Cache.
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On older versions, pull down Option menu. Select Network Options, select Cache. Click on Clear Disk Cache.
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With
Netscape closed, search your computer for the history fileand delete
it. The next time you open the browser, the file will be recreated.
-
For Windows, the file is called netscape.hst
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For Macintosh, it's called global history
-
For Unix, it's called history.dat
AOL Users:
Additionally,
make sure the "Use Inline Autocomplete" box is NOT checked. This
function will complete partial web addresses while typing a location in
the address bar at the top of the browser.
-
Ifyou are using Internet Explorer, this box can be found on the MS InternetExplorer Page by clicking on Tools at the top of the screen, then Internet Options, and then the Advanced
tab. Halfway down there is a "Use InlineAutocomplete" box that can be
checked and unchecked by clicking on it. Uncheckthe box to disable the
feature that automatically completes an internet addresswhen you start
typing in the address box.
EMAIL:
If your
abuser has access to your email account, he or she may be able to read
your incoming and outgoing mail. Be sure to check your "Sent Mail"
folder and delete any messages you do not want your abuser to see. Make
sure you choosea password he/she will not be able to guess. If you send
an email from a computer you share with someone, make sure that when you
click on an email link,the return address on the email is yours.
If your
abuser sends you threatening or harassing email messages, they may
beprinted and saved as evidence of this abuse. Additionally, the
messages mayconstitute a state or federal offense. For more information
on this issue,contact the Windham County States Attorney's Office at
257-2860.
WOMEN'S CRISIS CENTER PO BOX 933 BRATTLEBORO,VERMONT 802-257-7364 |
