Are you worried someone will see you have been using Proud Connections? There are a few steps you can take to make sure you are viewing the site in private. Below you will find information on how to use “private” browsing as well as deleting your browsing history. If you have any questions about this, you can also speak to the operator during your chat session.

Quick Tip – If you need to leave the Proud Connections website quickly, you can click the ‘Exit site’ button, which appears on every page, to be redirected away from the website straight away! But remember that people might still be able to see that you were on the website by looking at your browser history (see how to delete this below).

Before we start here are some keywords that will be used in these pages and what they mean:

Device: This is what you use to access this website. That could be a phone, a laptop, computer or tablet for example.

Browser: This is the app you use to access the internet and visit websites. There are many different types of browser, for example Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, etc.

Browser history: This is a list of every website you have visited that your browser stores; it shows which websites you have visited, when you visited them as well as any anything you have downloaded.

Private browsing: Most browsers will have a private browsing mode, although it might be called something different, for example, in Chrome it is called ‘Incognito mode’. It might be called something different on other browsers, but they all do very similar things. When you use private browsing, the websites you visit will not show up in your browser history.

Cookies: These are small bits of data or information that are collected when you visit a website. They can be used by a website to see what parts of the website you have visited before. The Proud Trust website uses cookies and you can read more about how we use them here (LINK).

Important note: There are some apps that can be installed on a device that lets others see what you are using the device for. This means that someone could see the websites you have visited and your messages even if you are using private browsing or if you delete your history. If you are worried that someone might be tracking your device, you can always speak to someone you trust to use their device – this could be a friend or family member. You can also speak to someone at school, college or your local library about whether your browsing would be private when using their computers.

Deleting your browser history

You can delete your history on all browsers easily, but it’s slightly different depending on which browser you are using. Here we are going to show you how to do this on some of the most popular internet browsers (Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Firefox), but you should be able to find information on how to do this in other browsers online, but if not speak to one of our chat operators and we will try to help.

Chrome 

On a desktop (laptop or computer):

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
3. Find the ‘More tools’ option.
4. Click ‘Clear browsing data’.
5. A pop up will then appear asking you to choose a time range. This is how far back you want to delete the history. You have the choice of the last hour, the last 24 hours, the last 7 days, the last 4 weeks or to delete all history from this browser.
6. Make sure you tick all the boxes (Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files).
7. Then click ‘Clear data’.

On a mobile (these steps might be slightly different depending on what device you are using):

1. Open Chrome app.
2. Press the three dots in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
3. Press ‘History’.
4. Press ‘Clear browsing data’.
5. Select a time range. This is how far back you want to delete the history (e.g., last hour or last 24 hours).
6. Make sure you tick all the boxes (Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files).
7. Then press ‘Clear browsing data’.

Once you’ve done all these steps your history and any cookies will be deleted for the time period you selected (e.g., anything from the last hour).

Safari 

On a desktop (Mac):

1. Open Safari.
2. Click the Safari tab in the top left of your screen.
3. Select ‘Clear History…’.
4. Choose the time range. This is how far back you want to delete the history (you have the option of the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all history).
5. Click ‘Clear History’.

On a mobile (iPhone):

1. Go to settings.
2. Scroll down and press ‘Safari’.
3. Scroll down and press ‘Clear History and Website Data’.
4. Press ‘Clear History and Data’.

Once you’ve done all these steps your history and any cookies will be deleted for the time period you selected (e.g., anything from the last hour).

Microsoft Edge 

On a desktop:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click ‘More’ (three dots in the top right-hand corner of the page).
3. Click ‘Settings’.
4. Click ‘Privacy, search, and services’.
5. Under ‘Clear browsing data’ click ‘Choose what to clear’.
6. A pop up will then appear asking you to choose a time range. This is how far back you want to delete the history. You have the choice of the last hour, the last 24 hours, the last 7 days, the last 4 weeks or to delete all history from this browser.
7. Make sure you tick all the boxes (Browsing history, Download history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files).
8. Then click ‘Clear data’.

On a mobile:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click ‘More’ (three dots in the top right-hand corner of the page).
3. Click ‘Settings’.
4. Click ‘Privacy and security’.
5. Click ‘Clear browsing data’.
6. Make sure you tick all the boxes (Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, and Cache).
7. Then click ‘Clear browsing data’.

Once you’ve done all these steps your history and any cookies will be deleted for the time period you selected (e.g., anything from the last hour).

Firefox 

On a desktop:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Click on the Menu button (three straight lines in the top right-hand corner of the screen).
3. Click on ‘History’.
4. A pop up will then appear asking you to choose a time range. This is how far back you want to delete the history. You have the choice of the last hour, the last 2 hours, the last 4 hours, the whole day or to delete all history from this browser.
5. Make sure you tick all the boxes (Browsing & Download history, Cookies, Cache, etc.).
6. Click ‘Clear Now’.

On a mobile (these steps might be slightly different depending on what device you are using):

1. Open Firefox.
2. Press the menu button (three straight lines either in the bottom or top corner of the screen depending on your device).
3. Press ‘Your library’.
4. Press ‘History’.
5. Press ‘Clear Recent History’.
6. Choose a time period (the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or everything).

Once you’ve done all these steps your history and any cookies will be deleted for the time period you selected (e.g., anything from the last hour).

Private browsing

If you start private browsing before accessing the Proud Trust website, nothing be saved in your browser history. Again, we are going to show you how to do this on some of the most popular internet browsers (Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Firefox), but you should be able to find information on how to do this in other browsers online, but if not speak to one of our chat operators and we will try to help.

Once you have started private browsing a new window or tab will open. You will then be able to use this private page to access the Proud Trust website; your history will not be saved while in private mode.

Chrome: ‘Incognito mode’

On a desktop:

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the page.
3. Select ‘New incognito window’.

On a desktop you can also press ‘Ctrl, Shift and N’ on your keyboard at the same time to bring up an incognito window.

On a mobile (these steps might be slightly different depending on what device you are using):

1. Open Chrome.
2. Tap the three dots at the bottom of your screen.
3. Select ‘New Incognito Tab’.

Safari 

On a desktop (Mac):

1. Open Safari.
2. Press ‘file’ in the top left.
3. Select ‘New Private Window’.

On a mobile (iPhone):

1. Open Safari.
2. Tap the two squares in the bottom right.
3. Tap ‘Private’ in the bottom right.
4. When you are finished, tap the two squares again and swipe each tab left to clear them.
5. Press ‘Private’ again to exit private browsing.

Microsoft Edge (InPrivate window)

On a desktop:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Press the three dots in the top right corner.
3. Select ‘New InPrivate Window’.

On a mobile (these steps might be slightly different depending on what device you are using):

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Press the three dots in the bottom right corner.
3. Select ‘New InPrivate Window’.

Firefox 

On a desktop:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Click on the Menu button (three straight lines in the top right-hand corner of the screen).
3. Select ‘New Private Window’.

On a mobile (these steps might be slightly different depending on what device you are using):

1. Open Firefox.
2. Tap the ‘Tabs’ button at the bottom of the screen (a square with a number in the middle).
3. Press the ‘Private view’ button in the bottom left (which looks like a mask).
4. Press the ‘+’ in the bottom right to open a private page.
5. Press the tabs button once you have finished and clear the tabs.
6. Press the mask button again to exit private mode.

Keeping conversations confidential is very important to us, but keeping you, or the young people you interact with safe and supported is our biggest priority. So, there may be times that we need to break confidentiality, which means telling other people about our conversations. We will only do this if we think we have to in order to keep you or someone else safe.

Where possible, we will always talk to you first about who we might need to tell and what information we will give them.

When might we share information?

There are times that we may need to share information about you or the conversations we have had with you. We would only need to do this if:

• You ask us to – we know that it can be hard to talk about certain things and that we might be the only people you feel comfortable talking to about this at the moment. But, if there are others who can help you or are in a position to keep you safe, we can help you contact them and support you in the process.
• We believe your or someone else’s life is in danger.
• You are being hurt by someone who may be or might be able to hurt others as well. This might be a teacher, sports coach, religious leader, doctor, parent or anyone in a position of trust with young people.
• You tell us that you are seriously harming someone else or we have concerns that you might cause harm to someone else.
• You tell us about another young person who is being hurt and who is not able to get help or cannot tell someone, or they are unable to understand what is happening to them.
• We are required to share information by law, for example in a court case.

What do we know about you?

You have the option to create an account with us or to use the website and web chat as a guest. We take different information depending on how you choose to use the service.

If you create an account, we will ask for the following:

• Your name
• Your age
• Your area (e.g., town or city)
• Your pronouns
• Your email address
• What you want to chat about

If you join as a guest you will be ask for:

• Your name
• Your age
• Your area (e.g., town or city)
• What you want to chat about

Sometimes our chat operator will ask if you want to share any more information about yourself (for example your name or whereabouts you live) to get a better understanding of you and how they can help you, especially if you are logging in as a guest. You do not need to share any information that you aren’t comfortable with. We only ask for this information so that we can build up a picture of you and how we can support you; we will not share this information with anyone unless we need to.

There may also be times that we use your IP address (which is a number used by your internet provider to identify your laptop, tablet, phone or other device), your phone number or your email address (if we have access to them). We will only use these if we think you, or someone else is in danger and we need to get help to you urgently. We will always try to talk to you first to explain this before we pass on any information.

We will also keep a record of the chat conversation which will be used by us to monitor the conversation to see if we can improve our services, or if you contact us again and we need to look back on what we have spoken about before. Conversations will only be stored for as long as is absolutely necessary, in line with our privacy policy.

If you are unsure about any of this or have any questions, you can speak to the operator about this during that chat.

What happens if we share your information?

Remember, we will only share your information if we need to in order to keep you, or the young people you interact with safe, or if you ask us to. We take your confidentiality very seriously, and so there are a number of things we will do before we share your information with anyone else.

Our operators will start every chat as confidential, but if they become concerned for your safety, or the safety of someone else, during a chat they might (where possible) explain to you that they are worried and ask if you would like them to contact someone who can help you. If you say no to this help, they might then explain that if they continue to be concerned that you, or someone else is in danger that they will have to break confidentiality so they can do what they can to keep you, or the other person/people, safe.

If this happens, we might pass your details, as well as a summary of the conversation, our concerns, and (only is absolutely necessary) a full log of the conversation, on to people we think might be able to help, such as:

• The ambulance service, if we think you need medical attention.
• The police, if we think you or someone else is in danger.
• If you have told us that someone else is in danger, then the services that we contact may want to speak to you so that they can find them and make sure they are safe.
• Other people we might tell could include social services, who might then arrange to speak to you to see how they can help.

Anyone we tell will only want to protect you and anyone else we are worried about.