When a relationship ends, your safety and privacy deserve immediate attention. Separation is one of the most common times for personal information to be misused — through shared devices and accounts, location tracking, social media, or financial control. The practical priorities are: make sure you and your children are safe, secure your devices and online accounts (passwords and two-factor authentication), check for location tracking, lock down social media, protect your finances, and be careful who you share information with — including AI tools. Before you change any settings, think about whether the other person will notice. If you feel unsafe or in immediate danger, contact the police on 000. This page links to detailed guides on each step. This is general information, not legal advice.
Introduction
Separation changes who has access to your life — your phone, your accounts, your home and your finances. Things that were shared in a relationship can quietly become a way for one person to monitor or pressure the other. The good news is that a few practical steps can dramatically reduce your exposure and help you feel back in control.
This guide brings together the key safety and privacy steps to take when you separate, with links to detailed articles on each. If at any point you feel unsafe, prioritise that first — call 000 in an emergency, and speak to us about protective options.
Before you change anything
Turning off location sharing, changing a password or removing a tracker can be noticed by the other person. For many people that won’t matter. But if you think it could provoke a negative response, or tell them you’ve worked out what’s happening, it’s worth planning before you act.
If you have any concern for your safety, speak to a domestic and family violence service before making changes — they can help you work out the safest order to do things. Use a device the other person cannot access. In an emergency, call 000.
Your safety and privacy checklist
1. Safety first
If you or your children are at risk, your safety comes before anything else. Call 000 in an emergency. Family Law Group can advise you about protective legal options and how the family law system responds to family violence — including how recent changes recognise economic and financial abuse.
2. Secure your devices and accounts
Shared logins are one of the most common ways personal information leaks after separation. Change your passwords, turn on two-factor authentication, and review who has access to your accounts and cloud storage. On an iPhone, Safety Check lets you review and stop all sharing at once.
3. Check for location tracking
Phones, shared family accounts and small Bluetooth trackers can all reveal your location. It’s worth checking your devices and surroundings.
→ Read: Tech Safety After Separation: How to Check for Hidden Tracking
4. Mind your car
A personalised number plate, a connected-car app or toll records can make your movements easy to follow. Check who has access to any connected-car app, and be aware that toll accounts and dashcams also record movements.
5. Lock down social media
Public profiles, check-ins and tagged photos can reveal more than you realise — and posts can become evidence in a family law matter. Review your privacy settings, reconsider who can see your posts, and be careful about geotagging and checking in.
6. Protect your finances
Know what accounts and debts exist, be cautious about large financial moves before getting advice, and watch for financial control or pressure.
→ Read: The Separation Checklist: Your Practical First Steps
7. Keep your matter confidential
Be careful who you discuss your matter with — and how. Forwarding legal advice to others, discussing it on shared accounts, or pasting it into public AI tools can put your privacy (and your legal privilege) at risk.
→ Read: Should You Talk to ChatGPT About Your Divorce? The Privacy and Privilege Risks of AI
When to get help urgently
- In an emergency, call 000.
- If you’re experiencing family violence (including controlling or financially abusive behaviour), support is available — and it can be relevant to your family law matter.
- If you find a tracking device or believe you’re being monitored, prioritise your safety. A tracker may be relevant evidence, so it can be worth getting advice before removing or disabling it.
Let Our Team of Expert Family Lawyers You
If you are involved in a family law dispute, or concerned about your safety during separation, we can help. With Family Law Group Solicitors on your side, you can protect yourself and your rights you work toward an agreeable resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common methods include phone location sharing (Find My on iPhone; Google location sharing on Android), shared family accounts, and small Bluetooth trackers like AirTags. Our tech safety guide explains how to check your devices and what to do if you find a tracker.
Yes. Change passwords on your key accounts, turn on two-factor authentication, and review who has access to shared accounts and cloud storage. Use a device the other person can’t access. If you’re worried the other person will notice the change, consider getting advice first.
They may. Changing sharing settings or passwords can be noticed. If you’re concerned about how the other person might react, speak to a domestic and family violence service before making changes — they can help you plan the safest approach.
Be very cautious. Public AI tools may store what you type, and sharing confidential information or your lawyer’s advice can risk your privacy and potentially your legal professional privilege. Use them only for general questions, never with identifying or confidential detail.
In an emergency, call 000. Then seek support and advice about protective options. Your safety takes priority over everything else.
Reach out to us to schedule your initial consultation.
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What You Can Expect from Us as Your Family Lawyers in Brisbane
We understand that this can be a stressful time, especially as you seek to protect property that you feel is rightfully yours. Whether you need to make arrangements to divide property or you need help untangling the additional complexities inherent in a financial settlement after separation, our team is here to provide you with access to many years of combined experience and a focus on an acceptable outcome.
Using our services, you can expect:
Clear, honest insights and advice from the moment you choose to engage our services. We waste no time in aiding our clients by laying out the facts and the various options you have for proceeding.
Robust representation before the courts when necessary. Though putting settlements in the hands of the court will tend to make orders within a predictable range of outcomes, having solicitors that understand the procedures and know how to argue in your favour is essential.
An advocate in your corner. During a divorce or separation, it can feel as though you’re in this alone. We work to ensure that you know you’re not; we are here to advocate for your best interests.
Let Our Team of Expert Family Lawyers Help with Your Matter
If you are involved in a family law dispute and concerned about your rights and entitlements, we can help.
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