Digital Security At Protests: 25 Things To Consider

Photo of a locked phone in an article about digital security at protests.

Digital security at protests. The way to be secure is constantly changing. It’s essential to stay informed on your digital security at protests.

These tips are not exhaustive, but even if you can do some, it’s better than none. Stay safe and secure.

For Your Devices:

  1. Use a passcode, not a fingerprint or facial recognition. If possible, use at least a six-digit PIN code.
  2. Double-check that your phone is encrypted.
  3. If you have a lock code on it, it’s automatic, but not always.
  4. Back up your phone.
  5. When logging into accounts and devices, use multi-factor authentication. Preferably an authentication app over SMS.
  6. Enable find my device or remote access in case you need to locate and or wipe your device if it gets taken or gets lost.
  7. Bring a backup battery to charge your devices.
  8. If you have a prepaid phone, top it up before you go.
  9. If you have the resources, consider getting a cheap alternative burner phone that you can use. A burner phone does not need to be a smartphone.
  10. Commit numbers to memory or write them down with a sharpie somewhere on your body.

For Tracking

  1. Turn off location tracking. Go on your phone and turn it off for your phone but also individually for each app if you need to.
  2. Consider deleting your social media accounts from your phone and apps you don’t need while protesting.
  3. Log out of any other apps that you can. Apps that might seem harmless. For example, game apps often track and gather your information and location.
  4. Use your camera while in lock mode if you lose it or your phone gets taken from you.
  5. When you take photos with your devices and post, share, or send them, you want to strip them of as much metadata as possible. Metadata is contained in the images. Time, location, device, info, etc. While it doesn’t eliminate all metadata, use a screenshot of a photo instead of the original itself.
  6. Use secure messaging apps. Signal is one that many people recommend. Do your research. If possible, use expiring messages that expire after a short time.
  7. When you can, turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
  8. Go into airplane mode. It’s easy for someone to spoof a Wi-Fi network or cell tower. For example, you might be protesting near a library. They could name their network “Library.” If you connect to it, they can take your data.
  9. Even if you connect to a regular cell network that is not a spoof, others have been known to obtain identifying information about you from cell providers. And they use various other devices to connect to your device. If possible, don’t be connected in any way.

Your Surroundings

  1. Be mindful of the privacy of those around you. Protect your fellow protesters as much as possible.
  2. That means obscuring people’s faces or other identifying information like tattoos. Some apps can do this for you. They can blur your face and whole body. The Signal app has a blur feature.
  3. While it’s essential to document and share, remember that anything you share can be used to target other people.
  4. Keep a lawyer’s phone number handy or a close friend who’s not at the protest and can bail you out of jail if needed.
  5. If you do get arrested, don’t resist and smile.
  6. Finally, wear a mask and cover tattoos.

There you go—25 things to consider for your digital security at protests. Stay safe!