If you're planning to join a protest, there are several steps you can take to protect your privacy in the face of escalating surveillance.
Firstly, consider whether bringing your phone is necessary or if it's safer to leave it at home altogether. If you do need a phone for coordination or as a way to call friends or a lawyer in case of an emergency, keep it off as much as possible and use a Faraday bag to block all radio communications.
If you must bring a mobile device, consider using a secondary phone that excludes things like social media, email, and messaging apps. These apps and accounts can contain highly private information that could be exposed to anyone who seizes your device.
It's also crucial to use end-to-end encryption when making calls or sending messages through your primary phone, with Signal being an ideal choice for this purpose.
Another key aspect of digital surveillance is facial recognition technology, which has become increasingly powerful in recent years. To protect yourself from this, wear a full-face mask and sunglasses during protests, as even surgical masks may not be enough to defeat well-honed face-tracking tech.
Before attending any protest, think carefully about what you're sharing online – posts, photos, videos – as all of these can be used by authorities to track you or others. Avoid uploading files that contain metadata like time stamps and location information. If you must share content from a protest, make sure you have permission to photograph or videotape fellow protesters who may appear in your footage.
Protesters will need to stay vigilant against emerging forms of digital surveillance designed to counter civil disobedience or retaliate against protesters after the fact.
Ultimately, assessing the risks and benefits for yourself is essential when deciding whether to document protests online or maintain personal privacy.
Firstly, consider whether bringing your phone is necessary or if it's safer to leave it at home altogether. If you do need a phone for coordination or as a way to call friends or a lawyer in case of an emergency, keep it off as much as possible and use a Faraday bag to block all radio communications.
If you must bring a mobile device, consider using a secondary phone that excludes things like social media, email, and messaging apps. These apps and accounts can contain highly private information that could be exposed to anyone who seizes your device.
It's also crucial to use end-to-end encryption when making calls or sending messages through your primary phone, with Signal being an ideal choice for this purpose.
Another key aspect of digital surveillance is facial recognition technology, which has become increasingly powerful in recent years. To protect yourself from this, wear a full-face mask and sunglasses during protests, as even surgical masks may not be enough to defeat well-honed face-tracking tech.
Before attending any protest, think carefully about what you're sharing online – posts, photos, videos – as all of these can be used by authorities to track you or others. Avoid uploading files that contain metadata like time stamps and location information. If you must share content from a protest, make sure you have permission to photograph or videotape fellow protesters who may appear in your footage.
Protesters will need to stay vigilant against emerging forms of digital surveillance designed to counter civil disobedience or retaliate against protesters after the fact.
Ultimately, assessing the risks and benefits for yourself is essential when deciding whether to document protests online or maintain personal privacy.
. Like, I get it, surveillance is a thing, but can’t we just chill and not share every little detail of our lives online? And what's with the full-face mask and sunglasses combo 
? Are we really that paranoid now? But for real though, using Signal for encrypted calls and keeping your phone off during protests are some good tips. Just gotta be mindful of what you're posting online and who might see it 
I mean i get it, we wanna share our experience but like how many ppl r watching? 
And what about people who don't have smartphones or can't afford these fancy encrypted phones? Don't they deserve a little freedom too? 
I've seen people get arrested just for taking a selfie in front of a protest. It's like, isn't that what protesting is all about?
That sounds like a total overreach.
Let's try to make a change instead of letting them dictate how we express ourselves. 
. Using Signal for encrypted calls is a must, trust me, I've seen what can happen to people's online profiles 
. And omg, wear that full-face mask and sunglasses, even if it looks ridiculous - those face-tracking techs are no joke 
! Don't be that person who gets caught up in the moment and uploads some incriminating content... or worse, get hacked 
. Stay safe out there, protesters 
. We need to keep questioning authority and pushing boundaries, even if it means taking a few risks 
. So yeah, protect yourself online, but don't let fear silence your voice 
& yeah, facemask & sunglasses are a must w/ all this face rec tech out there 
. Can't stress enough how important it is to keep those faces hidden too, even with surgical masks 
. We gotta stay one step ahead of these facial rec techs, you feel?
. They're always watching us, but we don't even realize it's happening. Like, have you seen those new smart glasses everyone's wearing? That's just the beginning of something big, mark my words 
. Stay safe out there!
. And don't even get me started on social media - who needs that kind of attention? Not me, that's for sure 
. A full-face mask is just gonna make it harder to recognize each other at a protest... what's the point of that? Can't we just stick to peaceful signs and chants instead? 
It's crazy! Leaving your phone at home is a good idea, but what about those who need it for coordination? 
We gotta stay one step ahead! Signal uses end-to-end encryption which is like, super secure. 
. But let's get real, most of us aren't always thinking about this stuff before we go to a protest... like me