Our recent conversation with Georgie, Shane and Hayley was packed with practical, experience-based advice for women considering public life. Here are 10 of their actionable online safety tips.

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1: Take online abuse seriously and don’t minimise it

(Georgie Purcell MP)

Online abuse isn’t simply “part of the job.” Don’t question yourself or let anyone diminish how it feels. Acknowledging its impact, seeking support, and speaking openly about it helps protect both yourself and future women leaders. When women are driven out of politics by abuse and intimidation, democracy itself is diminished.

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2: You don’t owe the public unlimited access to your personal life

(Shane Britten)

Being a public figure doesn’t mean surrendering your privacy. Protecting personal boundaries is a legitimate safety strategy.

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3: Audit your online footprint before entering public life

(Hayley Van Loon)

Don’t wait until you receive abuse or threats. Review what information about you and your family is publicly available, secure your accounts and think carefully about what you share online.

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4: Separate your personal and political digital lives

(Hayley Van Loon)

A dedicated device for campaigning and public-facing activity creates an important barrier between your professional and personal worlds.

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5: Create distance between yourself and abusive content

(Georgie Purcell MP)

One of the most powerful online safety practices is controlling when and how you encounter harmful content, rather than being exposed to it constantly. Having Social Protect installed on your phone allows you to do it at a time when you feel mentally able to take on that load.

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6: Decide in advance what you will and won’t engage with

(Hayley Van Loon)

Establish clear rules for responding to criticism, trolling and abuse before emotions are involved. Boundaries are easier to uphold when they’re decided calmly, rather than in the heat of the moment.

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7: Remember that ‘No’ is enough

(Hayley Van Loon)

Women in public life often feel pressured to justify decisions or respond to everyone. You don’t owe anyone unlimited access to your time or attention.

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8: Think of online safety tools like antivirus software

(Shane Britten)

Protective tools are not a sign that you’re expecting trouble. They’re simply sensible preparedness, the same way you use antivirus software or lock your front door.

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9: Keep records and report concerning behaviour

(Hayley Van Loon)

What feels like a one-off to you may be part of a pattern that authorities and platforms can act on – but only if there’s a record. Document incidents, save evidence, and report threats. Patterns often only become visible when records exist.

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10: Trust your intuition when something feels wrong

(Hayley Van Loon)

If a message, interaction or behaviour makes you uneasy, take it seriously. Your instincts are an important early-warning system. Document it, report it, and act on it.