
GUIDE TO YOUR ONLINE PRIVACY & SAFETY
Be mindful of who, when, and how you communicate.
First, you deserve support before, during, and after an abortion. Not everyone might be as supportive as you’d hope. You know your life best, so trust your instincts about who you can tell.
Here are a few tips to protect yourself:
Be discerning and discrete; who you trust with your personal story is extremely important. If you decide to share your experience, let them know how important it is to keep your experience private.
Use apps like Signal for private conversations:
Download the Signal App and turn on disappearing messages.
-
This way, your chats won’t leave a trace.
-
We recommend a short time, like a few days.
Check if you’re sharing your location:
If you’re using apps like Find My Friends or Life360:
-
turn off location sharing temporarily.
-
leave your phone at home or somewhere safe while you visit the clinic so your location isn’t tracked.
How to turn off your location:
Be careful with social media:
Avoid posting or checking in from locations related to your plans if you are keeping your abortion private.
-
Protect your privacy with a temporary Google number.
-
If you're worried about the person who pays your phone bill seeing your text messages and phone calls, consider creating a free Google Voice Number just for abortion-related conversations.
-
You can delete it when you’re done, giving you extra privacy.
Delete digital records:
If you've been searching for abortion resources, clear out your digital footprint:
-
Delete text messages and clear your “deleted” folder.
-
Delete emails and empty your trash.
-
Erase your search history, browser caches, and Google Maps searches.
For easy guides on deleting history in different browsers, check these links:
Tips for Keeping Future Searches Private:
-
Use “incognito” or private modes to prevent your search history from being stored.
-
For even better privacy, download and use browsers like Brave, Tor, or Firefox Focus (mobile only) which erase your browsing history as soon as you close them and block tracking.
Pro Tip: Use a VPN
Even with private browsing, your internet service provider (ISP) can still see which websites you visit. To stop this, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN hides your real IP address, keeping your online activity private and letting you access content that may be restricted based on your location. Choose VPNs that have no-logging technology like Mullvad , Tunnelbear, or ProtonVPN (free with an account).
Who to contact for legal and/or medical advice:
If you have specific questions, especially if you are considering self managing your abortion, there are lawyers and medical professionals ready and dedicated to helping.
The Repro Legal Hotline is available for legal advice, you can call 844-868-2812 or message through this secure online form.
-
Once you contact them, your information will fall under attorney client privilege
-
Anything you tell your lawyer stays private and can't be shared without your permission.