Social Media and Smartphone Safety for Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is an issue the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone takes very seriously in the Garden State. Victims may suffer from abuse in a variety of ways, including assault and harassment to stalking and false imprisonment. Some who are lucky enough to escape their situation may not be lucky for long – as their abuser might consider tracking them down.

How is this possible? With smartphones and social media being used everywhere by everyone, abusers can track down their victims easier than ever before. To combat this problem, we have come up with a few solutions for victims to keep in mind.

Do You Have a Smartphone?

If you are a domestic violence victim on the run from your abuser and own a smartphone, it’s very possible that your abuser may be tracking your every move without you even knowing it.

Some abusers install tracking applications or services to their victims’ phones without them knowing the app was installed. Tracking apps aren’t always easy to spot, and sometimes they can be completely hidden unless that person knows where to look. An abuser may even rename the app to something similar the victim knows so he or she completely overlooks it.

If you think someone has installed a tracking app on your smartphone, call your smartphone provider and ask them to help you restore your phone to factory settings. This will get rid of any tracking app your abuser could have installed. You should then set a secure password for your phone and keep it with you at all times. If you are still worried about being tracked by your abuser, consider turning your phone off. Most smartphones can’t be tracked when they’re turned completely off.

What About Social Media?

Aside from a smartphone, social media is a way that an abuser can find their victim too. For starters, victims should erase anything on their profile that shows where they live. If you feel like you need to do more, set your social media profiles to private or take a break from social media altogether. If you do not go the latter route, there are more options for victims to keep in mind:

• Be cautious about accepting friend requests, especially if it’s from someone you don’t know. It could be your abuser trying to find you.
• Don’t post anything that shares your location.
• Search for yourself online and see what information about you is available. The results could shock you!
• Make sure there aren’t any tagged photos of you on social media. Even if your profile is private, tagged photos of you may still be public if posted by someone else.
• Make sure your passwords are changed regularly.

Social media and technology are changing every day. So, it’s impossible to cover every possible way an abuser might find their victim. Hopefully, these steps give you an idea of what to do if you have an abuser who you believe is trying to track you down.

Contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone

For thirty years, the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone has been helping victims of domestic violence seek justice against their abusers. Attorney Anthony Carbone will make sure you get a restraining order, so you don’t have to worry about your abuser ever again. Contact our Jersey City law firm to schedule a free consultation.

CALL NOW: 201-829-3829