Why separation matters
When several people share one computer, small details leak: a suggested address in the search bar, a recently visited list, a saved login that fills itself in. None of it is malicious, but it can cause awkwardness or, where younger people are in the house, real concern.
Adult websites state that they are for people aged 18 and over. The MyDirtyHobby entry page, according to the platform, says visitors must be 18+ or of legal age in their place, and it links a parental controls page for people who want to block access. Keeping adult browsing properly separate is the household-side partner of that warning.
This guide is independent and offers general computing advice, not anything specific to the platform.
The same principle applies to anything else you want to keep private, from banking to health queries. A tidy separation habit pays off well beyond adult browsing, and it costs only a few minutes to set up properly.
Best option: a separate device or account
If you can, use a device that only adults touch, such as a work-from-home laptop kept locked in a drawer. Failing that, create a separate user account on the shared machine.
- Create a new standard user account in your operating system's settings, with your own name.
- Give it a strong password that nobody else knows, and set the screen to lock after a short idle time.
- Do all adult browsing there, and log out fully when you are done rather than just closing the lid.
- Make sure other family members have their own accounts, so nobody needs yours.
Separate accounts keep files, history and saved passwords apart without any special software.
Check, too, that the operating system itself is not displaying recent files or website suggestions on the shared login screen. Most systems let you switch those features off in their privacy settings.
Second best: browser profiles and private windows
If a full account is not practical, most browsers let you create separate profiles with their own history, bookmarks and passwords. This is better than sharing one profile, but it is weaker than a separate account, because anyone with access to the same login can open the other profile.
A private or incognito window stops the browser keeping local history and cookies after you close it. It does not hide your activity from your internet provider, from the sites you visit, or from monitoring software, and it does nothing about downloaded files. Our post on browser hygiene for adult sites goes further.
Treat private windows as a tidy-up tool, not as an invisibility cloak.
Passwords, saved logins and sync
This is where most accidents happen. A browser that offers to remember your password for any account will cheerfully fill it in for the next person. On a shared machine, decline the offer, or keep your adult-site logins in a password manager that locks behind a master password.
If you use a single sign-in from another account such as Google or X, think about what it connects. The sign-up page for MyDirtyHobby, as it stands, lists sign-up by email, Google or X. A dedicated email address can keep the registration separate from your main inbox and your public accounts.
- Use a unique password for every account.
- Turn off browser sync for any profile you want to keep apart.
- Check which devices are signed in to your main accounts, since sync can surface history elsewhere.
Review the list of saved passwords in your browser once in a while. Delete any adult-site entries you did not intend to keep, and check that no autofill details such as addresses or card numbers are stored on a profile other people can open.
Notifications, email and downloads
Even a well-separated browser can leak through the side doors. Email notifications pop up on shared screens, promotional messages arrive in the family inbox, and downloaded files land in a shared folder.
Use a dedicated email address, and if a registration form has an optional box for promotional updates, as the sign-up page for MyDirtyHobby does, leave it unticked unless you want the messages. Turn off desktop notifications for the browser profile you use, and download nothing into shared folders.
Be careful with unexpected attachments or links in any message. The FTC's phishing guidance is a helpful refresher.
Finally, remember to empty the recycle bin or trash and the downloads folder if you have saved anything. Deleted files sit there until you clear them, and a curious child or a visiting relative can find them in seconds.
Households with younger people
If anyone under 18 shares the machine, separation by itself is not enough. Add the layers from our parents section: a filter on the router, content restrictions on each child's account, and passcodes only adults know. The guide to router-level blocking walks through the first step.
Lock the screen whenever you step away, and never leave an adult account signed in. If a young person does stumble across something, respond calmly and use it as a prompt for a short, honest conversation.
Finally, if you ever see anyone who appears to be underage on an adult site, leave and report it to the site. The 18+ limit exists for good reasons.
Frequently asked questions
Platform features are described as the platform presents them; we cannot verify them independently and details can change. Independent guide; adults 18+ only.