[froggerexpert]

> This seems like such a contrived scenario with a solution that only works for gov uk sites. Why not teach users how to switch or close tabs with keyboard shortcuts?

+1. "Close tab" is more robust, well-supported and well-known.

It seems more likely a user will load an inoccuous page as a decoy, than learn triple-shift is a quick exit.

Still, interesting read, to hear the reasoning. Would like to see empirical evidence/user testing.

[TheRealPomax]

<partner walks in> <they see a tab getting closed> <they muscle their way in and restore it> <someone gets a black eye>

vs

<partner walks in> <nothing really special about a tab loading the weather> <you still live in fear but you're not getting physically abused>

[froggerexpert]

I understand the happy case. When it works, great.

My critiques were on the sad cases:

* Presses <Ctrl><Ctrl><Ctrl>. Wait why isnt this working? Too late.

* Presses <Shift><Shift><Shift> on another sensitive site that doesn't implement this. Too late.

* Presses <Shift><Shift><Shift> on a poorly supported browser, or after the functionality is removed, or after it conflicts with OS-level (it might not today, but who knows about future OS updates)

[PaulRobinson]

We should probably bake it into browser standards then.

[oneeyedpigeon]

Absolutely. This would solve the above problems, plus any problems involving JavaScript bugs that would render the whole thing inactive. Just a shortcut to go to the root of the site seems appropriate. Or maybe sites could configure themselves for a "safe site" equivalent if their whole content is a risk.

[kortilla]

The timing of those two scenarios is different.

Either the abuser walked in while the person was still on the page with the big red button or not. It is not faster to press the big red button or shift 3 times than it is to close a tab.

[logifail]

> It is not faster to press the big red button

Indeed.

Surely Ctrl+W (with a 2nd decoy tab already there and at BBC Weather) is 10x faster than finding and clicking a button on the page you're reading?

EDIT: another issue with the Exit This Page as implemented on eg https://www.camden.gov.uk/planning-to-leave-an-abuser - if you open it in a private browsing session, and click it, it sends you to Google, but of course there the first thing you get is the massive cookies pop-up. So wouldn't that be a bit of a red flag to whoever just walked in? :/

[eviks]

Partner walks in

They see a page changing

Black eye

[yakshaving_jgt]

Or, perhaps even more likely, abuser stealthily enters the room and silently observes the victim to try to extract more damning information before admonishing (or rather, attacking) them.

[scott_w]

If it’s the only tab open, you’ll raise suspicion if your partner walks in to you staring at the desktop

[robertlagrant]

I think the point is learning to have two tabs open, one incognito, will work everywhere for all resources, whereas this bespoke interaction needs to be memorised just for this websites.

[scott_w]

I wouldn’t presume to lecture women whose husbands beat them on how they should behave…

[froggerexpert]

I understand this is a sensitive topic, but I don't think it's fair to characterize robertlagrant's comment in the way you did.

Their comment looks similar to any other comment on technical/UX matters, including yours and mine.

[scott_w]

> I think the point is learning to have two tabs open, one incognito, will work everywhere for all resources, whereas this bespoke interaction needs to be memorised just for this websites.

No, it’s telling people how they should behave, as you can see. It makes no attempt to step into the shoes of the user.

[oneeyedpigeon]

It wouldn't be the desktop, would it? Wouldn't it be an 'empty' browser window? Still just as suspicious, of course, but I wonder if some/all browsers do something special in that case—e.g. default to the home page. They certainly could, as could a plugin.

[scott_w]

Chrome closes the window on the last tab. It's splitting hairs, however. As you said, it's still raises suspicion which, to a person in a domestic violence situation, is not what they want.