Online Safety for Sex Workers: Tools, Tips, and Real Protection Strategies

When it comes to online safety for sex workers, the set of practices and tools used to protect identity, location, and personal data from exposure, harassment, or violence. Also known as digital security for sex workers, it’s not about being paranoid—it’s about surviving in a world where one leaked photo or wrong click can end your career, your safety, or your life. This isn’t theoretical. In 2022, a sex worker in Manchester lost her job, her home, and her access to benefits after a client doxxed her on a public forum. She didn’t get a second chance. That’s why the most effective safety tools aren’t expensive apps or fancy gadgets—they’re simple, repeatable habits backed by real experience.

Doxxing protection, the practice of hiding or removing personally identifiable information from online spaces to prevent targeted harassment or violence is the first line of defense. That means never using your real name, address, or phone number on any platform—even if it seems "private." Use burner emails, encrypted messaging apps like Signal, and avoid posting photos with identifiable landmarks. Even your background music or the brand of your coffee cup can be used to track you. Bad date lists, peer-maintained databases where sex workers share verified warnings about dangerous clients are another critical tool. These aren’t gossip boards—they’re survival networks. A worker in Glasgow used a bad date list to avoid a client who later assaulted two others. She didn’t know his name, but she knew his car, his voice, and his pattern. That saved her.

Digital security for sex workers, the use of technology and behavioral practices to prevent surveillance, data leaks, and online stalking goes beyond passwords. It means turning off location services on all apps, using a VPN even on public Wi-Fi, and never logging into work accounts from personal devices. Many workers now use separate phones—one for clients, one for family—with different SIM cards and no cloud backups. Some even wipe their phones after each meeting. It sounds extreme, but when you’re dealing with stalkers, police raids, or revenge porn, extreme is just smart.

These aren’t isolated tactics—they work together. Doxxing protection keeps your identity hidden. Bad date lists warn you about threats before you meet them. Digital security stops someone from finding you even if they try. And when you combine them with clear boundaries, emergency codes, and trusted contacts, you’re not just safer—you’re in control. The people who survive long-term in this industry aren’t the ones with the fanciest websites or the most followers. They’re the ones who treat their privacy like a locked door—with a key they never lose.

Below, you’ll find real guides from sex workers who’ve been through it—how to set up anonymous accounts, how to respond when you’re doxxed, how to build a bad date list that actually works, and what tech tools actually make a difference. No fluff. No theory. Just what keeps people safe when the system won’t.