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Cover your tracks

If you’re worried about someone knowing that you’ve visited our website, find out below how to clear your browser history and cache file on your computer.

We’ve also included advice on what to do if you’re receiving threatening or abusive emails.

The ‘Exit Site’ button on this site will quickly hide the page you are looking at, but you will still need to delete your history to fully cover your tracks.

However, it’s important to know that the information outlined in here may not completely hide your tracks. The most discreet and safest way to find information on the internet is to do it in a safe place, such as a library, a friend’s house or at work.

How to clear your browser history:

It’s possible for someone to see the websites you’ve visited by looking through your web browser’s history. Clearing this history, and emptying the cache file of saved information, is quite straightforward.
We’ve outlined what to do, depending on what browser you are using to access the internet:

Internet Explorer

  • 1. Click on the Tools menu (cog icon in the row at the top of the browser)
  • 2. Select ‘Internet Options’ from the drop-down menu; you should now be on a tab that says 'General' – if not, select 'General'; under the title, 'Browsing history'
  • 3. Click on 'Delete' which will expand to ‘Delete Browsing History’. Make sure that the following options are checked before selecting ‘Delete’: Temporary Internet files and website files Cookies and website data
  • 4. You can also check the box that says 'Delete browsing history on exit'
  • 5. Then click ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ at the bottom
Windows Internet Explorer logo

Google Chrome

If you’re using Chrome, follow the steps below to clear your history:

  • 1. Open the Chrome app
  • 2. Click ‘Settings’
  • 3. Under 'Search Activity' select 'Delete activity by'
  • 4. Choose a time period, such as past hour or past day
  • 5. If you choose ‘Always’ or ‘Custom range’, you can select the types of information you want to remove
  • 6. It will then ask you to confirm and click 'Delete’
Chrome logo

Firefox

If you’re using Firefox, follow the steps below to clear your history:

  • 1. Click the menu button, choose 'History', and then 'Clear Recent History'
  • 2. Select how much history you want to clear: click the drop-down menu next to 'Time Range' to choose how much of your history Firefox will clear
  • 3. Finally, click 'Clear Now'
Firefox logo

Private browsing

All leading web browsers have a “private browsing” mode that, once enabled, stores nothing about your activity on your computer in that browsing window. This won’t stop online services from seeing what you get up to, but it won’t leave any traces of your activity on your computer (no history, web cache or anything else) and so it’s always a useful first step to take.

We’ve outlined what to do, depending on what browser you are using to access the internet.

Internet Explorer

  • Go to the cog icon in the row at the top of the browser and select ‘Safety’ – Tools – “InPrivate Browsing”

Firefox

  • Click the Menu button with three horizontal lines – ‘New Private Window’

Chrome

  • Click the Menu button with three horizontal lines and select ‘New Incognito Window’
  • Similar options can be found in Opera and Safari.

It is also best to double check that nothing has been stored by following the steps below:

Internet Explorer

  • Click on the Tools menu and select ‘Internet Options’. On the General page, under the title, 'Browsing history' click on 'Delete' which will expand to ‘Delete Browsing History’. Make sure that the following options are checked before selecting ‘Delete’:
  • Temporary Internet files and website files
  • Cookies and website data
  • History
  • Now look at the top of the window still within ‘Internet Options’ and click on the ‘Content’ tab, in the ‘AutoComplete’ section select its ‘Settings’, ‘Delete Autocomplete history’ and then finally ‘Ok’.

Firefox

  • Click on ‘Tools’ and then ‘Options’, then click on ‘Privacy’. Click on the Clear button next to Cache and Saved Form Information.

Deleting your browsing history

Internet browsers also keep a record of all the web pages you visit. This is known as a ‘history’. To delete history for Internet Explorer and Firefox hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard, then press the ’ key (Ctrl, Alt and H for Opera). Find any entries that say www.noexcuseforabuse.co.uk, right click and choose ‘Delete’.

Toolbars

  • Toolbars such as Google, AOL and Yahoo keep a record of the search words you have typed into the toolbar search box. In order to erase all the search words you have typed in, you will need to check the individual instructions for each type of toolbar. For example, for the Google toolbar all you need to do is click on the Google icon, and choose “Clear Search History”.

Don’t forget to log out

  • If you use any websites you have to log into, don’t forget to log out of your account when you have finished your browsing session so no one else can log in as you.

Email abuse

If someone has access to your computer, they may be able to read your incoming and outgoing mail. To ensure your account is secure, always log out after use and choose a password that an abuser won’t be able to guess.

If an abuser sends you threatening or harassing email messages, this can be reported as either domestic abuse or even a hate crime. Please print and save the emails as evidence and get in touch in one of these ways:

  • For an immediate response call 999 now. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, use our textphone service 18000 or text us on 999 if you’ve pre-registered with the emergencySMS service
  • Police non-emergency number 101
  • Visit your local police station

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