Web safety
Web Safety
Computers, tablets and smart phones store a lot of information about the websites you visit, emails and instant messages you send, web-based phone calls you make, online purchases and banking, and many other activities.
If you are worried that someone might check what you are looking at or doing on this computer or mobile device, don’t use it to get help and advice. Exit from this website and delete it from your browser history. See Safer Scotland 'How to delete internet history' for detailed instructions.
Instead, use a computer or mobile device that you can trust such as in a library, at a friend’s house or an internet café. Keep using your own computer or devices for your routine activities, such as looking up the weather or checking what’s on TV.
The grey ‘Exit site’ button on this website is displayed at all times and will quickly hide the page. This button may be helpful if someone comes into the room and you need to quickly switch to another website. However, you will still need to delete your internet history to cover your tracks.
Most mainstream browsers now allow you to browse the internet in a 'private browsing mode’ that will not create a history your partner can trace. You can also delete some evidence of sites you have visited and any searches you have done by clearing your web browser’s history.
However, using private browsing modes or deleting your history will not prevent someone from knowing what you’re doing online if they are looking over your shoulder or are monitoring your device remotely using spyware.
If clearing your browser’s history isn’t something you normally do regularly, then don’t do it, as this might arouse suspicion.
To find out how to clear some or all of your internet history or browse privately on different browsers and devices, see Safer Scotland 'How to delete internet history' for detailed instructions.
If you’re worried that someone may be monitoring your emails, you should avoid using that email account for seeking support. Instead, set up a new secure email account that you only log into while using a safe trusted device. You should use the secure account for any confidential messages and continue using your existing email account for everyday emails to avoid arousing suspicion.
If you want to delete the history of email support, please note that when you delete an email, it does not initially delete the item, it moves the item to a folder called Deleted Items. You then have to delete the email from the deleted items folder separately. Don’t forget to delete from both your inbox and sent box as well.