Technology is everywhere in our lives, from social media to banking, and even physical fitness. Have a problem? There is probably an app to help you solve it. But with that convenience comes with risk.
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton recently launched a Tech Abuse Series to raise awareness and empower audiences around technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), also known as cyberviolence, occurs when technology is used to harm someone, either online or in real life. This kind of abuse can take many forms, from sending threatening messages or spreading rumors online to harassing or bullying someone through social media.
Addressing this is more relevant today than ever, with 60% of women and gender-diverse people experiencing it. This month’s theme, Who Gets Access, focuses on how technology can be used to control who has proximity to you, including who can see you, contact you, or access your accounts.
Some of the most common ways TFGBV occurs is through:
- Stalking/Criminal Harassment: Using apps, GPS trackers, or surveillance to monitor or follow someone, causing fear for personal safety.
- Monitoring/Surveillance: Logging into devices or using spyware, cameras, or GPS trackers to observe someone’s activities.
- Location Tracking: Using apps or devices to track someone’s physical location continuously.
- Threats: Using language via digital channels to intimidate, extort, or humiliate someone.
- Harassment: Repeatedly contacting, threatening, or intimidating someone through texts, emails, or social media.
- Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else online to damage reputation, manipulate relationships, or gain access to accounts.
When thinking about who gets access, it can be helpful to look at the everyday tools we rely on most. Location settings, messaging platforms, and online accounts are not neutral, they are pathways that can allow others to see where you are, reach you directly, or act as you online. When misused, these tools can enable control, monitoring, harassment, or impersonation.
That’s why this month’s Tech Abuse Series focused on practical, accessible steps to reduce unwanted access and increase digital safety.
This Month’s Tech Safety Tips
Week One: Reviewing App Permissions
The first step focused on checking app permissions on your phone. Many apps request access to location, contacts, microphones, or cameras, often more than is necessary for the app to function. Reviewing and adjusting these settings helps limit passive tracking and reduces the amount of information being shared without your awareness.
Week Two: Limiting Interactions on Social Media
The second tip explored how to limit interactions on social media platforms. Features such as restricting who can message you, comment on posts, or tag you allow you to set boundaries without needing to block or escalate immediately. These tools can be especially helpful when dealing with harassment or unwanted attention.
Week Three: Protecting Accounts with Email Aliases
The final tip highlighted the role email plays in account access. Because most online accounts are connected to an email address, email is often the starting point for impersonation and fraud. Using unique email aliases for different services can make account takeovers easier to detect and contain.
One simple method is plus addressing, which involves adding a “+” and a word to your existing email address (for example: name+shopping@email.com). Messages still arrive in your inbox, but you can see which services are sharing or exposing your email.
Technology-facilitated gender-based violence often doesn’t begin with a single dramatic incident. It can start with small, overlooked forms of access, a shared location, an open inbox, or a platform that allows unrestricted contact.
If you’re interested in learning more, this comprehensive toolkit offers practical guidance on privacy, monitoring, surveillance, and assessing what others can see or access: https://techsafety.ca/resources/toolkits/tech-safety-planning-toolkit