Vancouver PD Website Features Quick Escape Button That Wipes Itself from History
The Vancouver Police Department has launched a 'Quick Escape' button on its website to help victims of intimate partner violence instantly clear their browser history. This safety feature allows users to immediately navigate away from sensitive content, protecting them from potential discovery by abusers. The initiative highlights the department's commitment to supporting victims and ensuring safe access to critical resources.
Just because you don't have physical injuries doesn't mean you're not being abused.
- quirino
The gov.uk Design System calls this the "Exit a page quickly" pattern [1], with an associated component [2]. It can be activated by clicking the Shift key three times.
There's this nice blog [3] that explains why they chose Shift instead of other keys, and also gives a nice overview of the pattern.
[1] https://design-system.service.gov.uk/patterns/exit-a-page-qu...
[2] https://design-system.service.gov.uk/components/exit-this-pa...
[3] https://beeps.website/blog/2024-10-09-why-govuk-exit-this-pa...
- Titan2189
Some New Zealand Government / Business sites have a Javascript-based pop-up available called Shielded Site https://shielded.co.nz/
> If you are experiencing family violence, don't worry, the information within this pop-up won't appear in your browser's history.
Pages like Banks or Council websites have it in their footer, so people can lookup information without it appearing in their history
- phillipseamore
(a class="quickBrowserEscape ..." target="_blank" href="https://www.google.ca/") Need to leave site for your safety? Quick Escape
$('.quickBrowserEscape').on('click', function () {
document.body.style.opacity = 0;
document.title = 'New Tab';
window.open('https://www.weather.gc.ca/canada_e.html', '_blank');
window.location.replace($('.quickBrowserEscape').attr('href')); // removes current page session DOES NOT WORK IN IE
return false;
});
Would recommend picking random URLs from an array.
- tanbog100
I've implemented quick exit/escape buttons for a few organisations over the years and have spent a bit of time thinking about the limitations.
This pattern is definitely better than most and it is refreshing seeing they put some resources into it. In my professional experience, organisations often chose the "a link to another site like google is fine" option to save money and time while still getting to boast about their security culture.
One thing I have not found much research on however, but would love to hear about, is the effect of these kinds of patterns on the user's speed and choice of actions and how that effects outcomes. What I mean by that is, say someone is visiting the site on their phone and an adversary walks into the room. Most people these days know the fastest way to leave a page at short notice - maybe the home button/gesture, maybe swipe to another open app. Does having a big red button that introduces a new choice help them, or add to the cognitive bandwidth needed to handle the situation?
Remember, by definition the type of situations that this component is intended to help with are going to be stressful and likely have little to no warning; the person is going to walk in the room and the user has moments to act.
What is going to lead to measurably better outcomes; a big red button that the user needs to read, understand and move their finger/hand to, or their own knowledge of their own device's most efficient escape mechanisms?
This isn't meant as a cr […]
- CarlJW
In New Zealand we have a Shielded Site popup at the bottom of all government websites, and many popular privately owned websites too.
E.g. go to govt.nz and scroll to the bottom. There's a little icon of a computer that opens a popup element inside the page.
It gives information for victims of domestic violence and abuse.
- alexpotato
PSA:
If you ever call 911 and order a pizza, many of the dispatchers are trained to recognize that as "I am in danger and I need an officer to come to the house immediately. The person threatening me can hear this conversation."
It works b/c it gives you a plausible reason to give your address to someone over the phone and they can give you an ETA which is also plausible of "the pizza guy will be here in 20 minutes" etc.
- mondobe
The Trevor Project (LGBTQ support/suicide prevention site) has the same thing, triggered by a hotkey (press ESC three times). https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
- transitorykris
Brilliant feature, well done Vancouver PD. A very serious boss mode. Lotus 1-2-3 wouldn't look quite right here but weather.ca is plausible.