Tech Abuse in the Pandemic and Beyond

NNEDV Technology Safety Blog (techsafety.org)

TECH ABUSE is a widespread problem seen by advocates and legal systems professionals across the US. Our new report, “Tech Abuse in the Pandemic and Beyond,” shares findings from a needs assessment that included the participation of over 1,000 advocates and legal systems professionals. They told us that tech abuse increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survivors and their communities also encountered additional barriers to safety, justice, and healing.

KEY FINDINGS:

• The most common types of tech abuse – harassment, limiting access to technology, and surveillance – increased during the pandemic.

• Phones, social media, and messaging were the technologies most commonly misused as a tactic of tech abuse.

• Internet of Things (IoT) devices, next generation location trackers, and other emerging technologies are increasingly misused in tech abuse.

• Survivors’ lack of access to technology, sometimes called the “Digital Divide,” is a barrier to accessing services, legal support, courts, and other services and social supports.

Takeaways: