Understanding Technology-facilitated abuse: spotting the signs and staying safe

Technology is deeply woven into our daily lives, from how we manage our homes to how we connect with loved ones. While digital tools bring immense convenience, they can also be used against us. Technology-facilitated abuse (TFA), or tech abuse, occurs when someone uses digital devices, apps, or platforms to monitor, control, harass, or intimidate another person. It is not a standalone issue; rather, it is a tactic used within a broader pattern of coercive control that often accompanies physical, emotional, or financial abuse.

Because technology is everywhere, abusers can monitor victims remotely in real time, 24 hours a day. Furthermore, many monitoring tools are deceptively marketed as "family safety" apps, making the abuse easy to disguise and hard for victims to recognize.

Who is affected?

Tech abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, or background. However, research by the Government of Canada highlights that it disproportionately impacts women, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, people with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples. It is also highly prevalent in intimate partner and family relationships, or any situation where one person controls shared accounts. Youth are also uniquely susceptible because sharing passwords, locations, and social media access has become heavily normalized among peers.

Common tactics of tech abuse

Abusers utilize various technologies to exert power and control:

• Surveillance and stalkerware: secretly installing software on a device to track calls, texts, and photos. Warning signs include a fast-draining battery, a device that feels unusually warm, or unexplained spikes in data usage.
• GPS and location tracking: using built-in phone sharing features, smart car apps, or hidden trackers like AirTags to monitor someone’s physical location without consent.
• Image-based abuse: recording sexual activity without consent, or sharing and threatening to share intimate images to blackmail or control someone. In Canada, non-consensual sharing of intimate images is a crime.
• Smart home and IoT manipulation: remotely controlling smart locks, cameras, and doorbells to spy on a victim, or adjusting thermostats to manipulate their environment as a form of punishment.
• Online harassment and cyberstalking: sending relentless abusive messages, creating fake profiles to impersonate the victim, or hacking accounts.
• Digital financial abuse: restricting access to money by controlling online banking, running up debt using a victim's digital identity, or blocking access to sensitive tax, legal, or investment documents.

Identifying the behaviour

Abusers often disguise surveillance as "care" or "protection". If you are wondering whether you are experiencing tech abuse, ask yourself:

• Do I feel anxious using my phone?
• Did I agree to this monitoring, or was it demanded?
• Would my partner be angry if I turned off location sharing or changed my passwords?

Healthy relationships are built on mutual respect and trust, and you always have a right to digital privacy.

Taking control of your digital safety

If you suspect you are experiencing tech abuse, prioritizing your safety is essential. Do not delete suspected spyware or suddenly change passwords without consulting a professional. Doing so can alert the abuser and escalate the danger. Always reach out to a domestic violence advocate to build a personalized safety plan.

General risk-reduction strategies include:

• Use a safe device: conduct sensitive searches or communications on a library computer, a friend’s phone, or a new prepaid device.
• Cover your tracks: when researching help on a shared device, use incognito mode, use privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo, and clear your history. Note that incognito mode does not hide activity from spyware.
• Document everything: save screenshots of abusive messages, call logs, and dates of incidents on a safe device.
• Secure your accounts: when safe, update passwords from a secure device and enable two-factor authentication using a secure phone number or email.

You are not alone

If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. For non‑emergency support related to tech abuse or domestic violence, such as housing assistance or safety planning, you can dial 2‑1‑1 nationally. For more in-depth information, please review our Technology-Facilitated Abuse Guide to learn more about identifying, preventing, and responding to tech abuse.