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What can I do to stay safe or prevent the misuse of a GPS-enabled device?
Many apps and programs on your devices use GPS. If you want to turn it off, you could try an online search with the words “how to turn off GPS on my [insert device name].” You can learn more about phone safety on Safety Net’s website.
If you believe that you are being tracked by GPS, it can be helpful to keep a log of incidents related to the tracking. This gives you evidence of a pattern or history to share with a lawyer or law enforcement.
GPS monitoring can be particularly dangerous if you are trying to leave an abusive relationship and don’t want the abuser to be able to locate you. However, if you find a GPS device in your property, pause and think before doing anything. It can be important to safety plan with an advocate before removing any type of tracking device. This is because removing the device may alert the abuser that you have found it. But if you think that the abuser is monitoring your phone, you may want to use a different phone to call a domestic violence program. This could be a friend’s or family member’s phone or a public phone. You can learn more about safer devices on Safety Net’s website in the page called Securing Devices & Accounts as well as their safety tips page if an abuser is using technology to monitor you.
