Shared Devices, Lost Privacy
A teenager shares the family computer with parents and siblings. A browser history reveals searches they would rather keep private. A person in a domestic violence situation uses a shared phone—every search, every message potentially visible to an abuser. A student completes health forms on a school Chromebook that logs activity. When devices are shared, privacy disappears.
Sharing Contexts
Family Device Sharing
Many households share devices among family members. Parents and children use the same computer; partners share tablets; family phones pass between users. Economics drives sharing—not everyone can have their own devices.
Sharing creates privacy challenges. Browser histories, saved passwords, account access, downloaded files, and application data may be visible to other users. Even logged-out accounts may leave traces.
School and Workplace Devices
Devices provided by schools or employers typically have monitoring software, activity logging, and administrative access. Students using school Chromebooks and employees using work laptops operate on devices their institutions can observe.
Acceptable use policies may define what is monitored, but users often do not read or understand these policies. The line between institutional use and personal activity on institutional devices is blurry.
Public and Shared Access
Library computers, community center terminals, and other public access devices are used by many people. Previous users may have left traces; current sessions may be logged; physical observation is possible.
Public devices may not clear thoroughly between users. Autofill, browser history, and cached credentials can expose information to subsequent users.
Privacy Risks
Surveillance Within Households
In healthy families, device sharing may be unremarkable. But in situations of domestic violence, controlling behavior, or family conflict, shared devices become surveillance tools. Abusers can monitor communications, track locations, and observe online activity.
Victims may be unable to safely seek help—searching for resources leaves traces that abusers can find. Privacy is a safety issue.
Youth Privacy
Children and teenagers have developmental needs for privacy—space to explore identity, ask questions, and communicate with peers outside parental observation. Shared family devices limit this privacy.
Parental monitoring may be well-intentioned but can prevent youth from seeking information about sensitive topics—sexual health, mental health, identity questions—that they need but would be embarrassed to have parents see.
Employment and Education Consequences
Activity on school or work devices can have consequences. Students disciplined for searches conducted on school devices. Employees fired for personal activity on work computers. The line between permitted and prohibited use may be unclear, and violations may be discovered unexpectedly.
Identity Exposure
Shared devices can expose identity in ways users do not intend. A person not out as LGBTQ+ whose searches reveal their identity. A person researching addiction or mental health treatment. A person whose political views or religious explorations they would rather keep private. Shared devices make private matters visible.
Protective Measures
Technical
Separate user accounts: Devices that support multiple user accounts can provide some separation, though administrative users may still access others' accounts.
Private browsing: Incognito or private browsing modes do not save local history, though they do not hide activity from network monitoring or device administrators.
Account logout: Logging out of accounts after use prevents the next user from accessing them—but is easily forgotten.
Browser clearing: Clearing history, cookies, and cached data removes traces—but requires knowledge and discipline.
Behavioral
Alternative access: Using public library computers or personal mobile data for sensitive activities keeps them off shared devices.
Awareness: Understanding what shared devices reveal helps users make informed choices about what to do on them.
Institutional
Clear policies: Schools and employers should clearly communicate what is monitored and what privacy users can expect.
Minimal monitoring: Collecting only what is necessary for legitimate purposes respects user privacy while meeting institutional needs.
The Question
If device sharing is an economic reality for many households, and if privacy on shared devices is limited, then the consequences of reduced privacy fall hardest on those who cannot afford their own devices. How should schools and employers balance legitimate monitoring needs against user privacy? What supports should be available for people in situations where device sharing creates safety risks? And how can digital inclusion efforts ensure privacy as well as access?