Turn it off and leave it at home.
How Do I Prepare My Phone for a Protest?
Submitted 21 hours ago by Pro@programming.dev to technology@lemmy.world
https://themarkup.org/the-breakdown/2024/05/04/how-do-i-prepare-my-phone-for-a-protest-updated-2024
Comments
wanderwisley@lemm.ee 8 hours ago
NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Leave it on at home.
“Your honor, as you can see from my mobile device location history, I never even left my house that day.”
Not that that’ll actually work or that they’ll care, but still…
ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 32 minutes ago
They likely have the data to show it didn’t move at all. Eg it wasn’t on your person.
Vanilla_PuddinFudge@infosec.pub 4 hours ago
“I let my landlord borrow my car, though. He said it was important.”
ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
Most modern devices track the phone even when it’s turned off. If you can’t remove the battery, leave it at home.
just_another_person@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
Leave it at home.
HubertManne@piefed.social 21 hours ago
thats my plan. im not taking wallet or keys or anything. just a transit card.
A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
Having an ID can help if you do get arrested. But that’s about all I carry.
Saleh@feddit.org 18 hours ago
Also bring an ID and some cash. E.g. to buy some snacks/meal/water if the day goes longer than you planned for.
SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 hours ago
And take a burner phone if you must absolutely bring one.
PattyMcB@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
Literally clicked to comment this
ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 20 hours ago
Burner phone … leave your main one at home … ABSOLUTELY DO NOT BRING YOUR MAIN PHONE
Set up your burner phone with one or two accounts to things you might want to upload to … encrypt as much as you can. Do not load all your social accounts … only log into the bare minimum. If you are organized, log into temporary or fake or secondary accounts if you can.
Start the day without any prior history, photos or content on the phone and keep as few contacts as you can … memorize numbers that are important to you.
Always be prepared to give up or lose your phone.
And as always … SAFETY GLASSES … bring a pair of industry rated CSA approved safety glasses (try to get a pair with a tint so you can pass them as sunglasses). Look for safety glasses with anything marked ANSI Z87+, sometimes written Z87.1+ (note the plus) rated or CSA Z94.3 rated are ensured to safely withstand a direct high energy strike.
… additional things if you want to do more
Bring a small new blank paper note book you can keep in a pocket with a small pen or pencil … you might be taking notes like license plates, name tags or names of people or places … its always faster to just write something down than in taking a shaky photo or tapping away a note on an app
Wear a big scarf … for guys or girls … a scarf comes in handy for all kinds of emergencies including using it as something to cover your mouth, dress a wound, tie something or cover something up.
Wear a good pair of running shoes … be prepared to run and be on your feet all day.
Bring a small backpack and bring a couple bottles of water and some energy bars … keep it light because you’ll be on your feet all day and if things go bad, you might be targeted if you have a large pack … plus an empty pack can be used to carry things later if you need to.
Dress for the weather … if its going to be hot, wear light clothing but if things go bad and you have to stay out over night or longer, bring a light jacket … if rain is forecast within a day or two, bring a small poncho
codenamekino@lemmy.world 19 hours ago
To add onto the phone section: (1) Disable any biometric authentication, and (2) turn/keep it off whenever there’s a chance that it will be siezed.
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While the first amendment protects you from being required to give up your phone’s pass code, there’s no protection against someone just holding the phone up to your face or fingerprints to unlock it.
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While your phone is never totally impenetrable, it is significantly harder to access in its BFU state (before first unlock). Most commercially available cracking tools will only work if the phone is in it’s AFU state (after first unlock).
Landless2029@lemmy.world 18 hours ago
I’ve seen plenty of videos of cops holding a suspect down and forcing a fingerprint unlock…
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foggenbooty@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
Bring a pair of foam earplug as well. They weigh and cost nothing, and could be useful of they try to use sonic deterents against you.
Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 19 hours ago
Ideally, that burner phone never goes anywhere near your home or any place you frequent from the time it is acquired until the time it is destroyed.
Briar is a good messaging app for you and your group. It will work (to some degree or another) over bluetooth even after they shut down the cell towers. Keep posting information about law enforcement deployment numbers and locations.
Airplanes.live provides unfiltered ADS-B data, useful for identifying and locating law enforcement aircraft, including drones.
For uploading media, choose overseas fediverse instances for your account, which are not subject to US law, and won’t get shut down or raided by US law enforcement if you upload something they don’t like.
I’ve been suggesting this everywhere: pick a dozen different protest locations, and share your list with everyone you meet. If and when law enforcement deploys in force at your current location, leave for another. Force them to constantly redeploy to multiple locations.
Rumo161@feddit.org 1 hour ago
Do not use Smartphones. For the scarf use an unmarked tubescarf, its easely hidden in any collar. Cary bandages and lightsalt solution, like you use for contacts, to treat teargas and light wounds. If they get you you want nothing outside oft your memory that has any link to others. Depending in the effect of carrying your passport with you in your country decide wether to take it along.
BigDanishGuy@sh.itjust.works 15 hours ago
We’re so focused on electronics here, but this part can save your ass:
Bring a small new blank paper note book you can keep in a pocket with a small pen or pencil
The following is translated from the meager tactical training I’ve received: Emphasis on the pencil being small. You definitely don’t want a full size pencil in your pocket if shit hits the fan and you get tumbled.
Maybe get a waterproof notepad. But make sure that you can easily rip out pages. Use a single sheet for all the info you don’t want the police to have (like all the other burner phone numbers and such) That way you can rip that sheet out and swallow it, if you’re about to be captured.
Also, about the scarfs. I don’t know about the US, but at least in my own country, it’s illegal to use a mask at protests. Meaning a mask would get you singled out and targeted by law enforcement.
JayGray91@piefed.social 14 hours ago
Wear a big scarf ... for guys or girls ... a scarf comes in handy for all kinds of emergencies including using it as something to cover your mouth, dress a wound, tie something or cover something up.
Everyone should look up what a shemagh is, and all multitude of uses it has. Pretty sure there are plenty of colors that aren't tacticool, which is inevitable when you search for it. If it works for the grunts the US sent to the Middle East, and actual Middle Eastern cultures, it'll work for you. Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy describes how useful it is to carry a towel across the galaxy; this is it.
AA5B@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Jesus Christ, this conversation is scary. I wish y’all good luck that none of these precautions are necessary.
As someone in a blue state where governance is sane, I’m “raw dogging it” (effing offensive slang term but now I’ve used it once in my life and can rest easy) and bringing my kids (teens). M also going to the local demonstration rather than go into the city for a big one - to some extent it’s a numbers game
YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 8 hours ago
Doesn’t matter of the state is blue, the police force is going to do everything they can to fuck you anyways.
TheFriar@lemm.ee 7 hours ago
I’m in one of the bluest. Our police and FBI are not “blue.” American spy forces and “committee on anti-American activities”-ass motherfuckers are not kind or just, no matter the voting tendencies of the populace.
How many decades have we seen far right terror groups overlooked for anti-capitalist leftists? The left threatens the status quo, the right fortifies it. The blue and red dichotomy is the status quo. The democrats support the genocide in Palestine. Going against that status quo makes you not safe from government crackdowns, the party in power is completely irrelevant.
NWIBiHigh@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
You say kids. Youve rawdogged more than once probably
PTSDwarrior@lemmy.ml 8 hours ago
Nowadays millennials and Gen Z use raw dogging to indicate going either without protection to their electronic devices, or foregoing the use of devices like on a long plane ride.
billwashere@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
The fact that this conversation is even necessary is to me more scary.
I used to think the Bush era was bad. I’d gladly trade that for now.
NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Bush was just a goofy lil war criminal compared to this shit
ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
Here is the simple trick: leave your phone at home. Get a burner.
Manalith@midwest.social 7 hours ago
Side note, leave the burner in a Faraday bag when it’s going to be near your daily driver.
darkstar@sh.itjust.works 2 hours ago
Faraday bags do not work with modern phones anymore, specifically 5G
billwashere@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
Wow, I hadn’t even thought about that. Excellent point!!
nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 hours ago
people talk about all these great security smart things that they will definitely never do.
leave valuables at home, wear unremarkable clothes, and write your lawyers number on your arm with a sharpie.
Rumo161@feddit.org 1 hour ago
Its important because you endanger not just yourself but anyone who is possibly linked through your activities. Your actions are your own responsibility. If you are able to protect others in this Situations you should. And i hope you only document voilation oft power with your leika and not others protesting.
A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 16 hours ago
Leave it at home.
I can understand the wish to film things; I recommend buying a cheap camera, maybe one to strap on your forehead (starting at $20) or an old compact digital camera.
Manalith@midwest.social 7 hours ago
Also multiple SD cards, swapping out frequently so even if they grash the camera you still have something.
latenightnoir@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 hours ago
angelmountain@feddit.nl 9 hours ago
… Goes to a protest to support gaza, get’s phone unlocked because police is using Israeli cellebrite software…
crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 18 hours ago
Leave it at home lol
Randomgal@lemmy.ca 14 hours ago
You leave it at home. Take an old factory-reset with a prepaid sim. Keep it off unless you 100% need it.
gaael@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 hours ago
You get a burner for the protest and give your phone to a friend or family member for the day so that it still pings towers at the usual places.
billwashere@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
Or at home. It’s not unusual for me to spend several hours at home on a Saturday.
drdalek@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 hours ago
Stolen from another post:
“you need around 6 layers of tin foil you can test this if you have a bluetooth device start playing some music or any audio and start wrapping in tinfoil until it disconnects id also say to leave your phone at home sk it pings the cell towers that you are at home and bring a burner if you can and make sure the burner is private so use cash prepaid sims and dont put the sim in at home or work make sure its all a mall away from cameras”
Be safe tomorrow everyone
Uriel_Copy@lemmy.world 14 hours ago
I learned this recently: if you have an iPhone, pressing the lock button five times rapidly will lock it so that you need to enter a passcode, not just FaceID. Useful if you think somebody might forcibly use your face to unlock it
athairmor@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
Yes, but this will call emergency services after, I think, ten seconds.
Make sure you cancel that call right away unless you actually need them.
Manalith@midwest.social 7 hours ago
Honestly, it would be kind of funny that your phone calls emergency services when you get pulled over and you don’t want them to force you to unlock your phone, having a 911 operator recording the entire interaction’s audio.
solrize@lemmy.ml 21 hours ago
Some very cheap phones with minutes included, here:
www.qvc.com/electronics/phones/tracfone/…/c.html
OTOH they can probably be traced back to you since you have to order them with your presumably real name. You can buy phones and prepaid cards anonymously in phone stores but it will cost more.
sqgl@sh.itjust.works 20 hours ago
OTOH they can probably be traced
Well, they are called TracPhones
arin@lemmy.world 17 hours ago
Don’t bring it
seven_phone@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
The powers that you are necessarily taking these precautions against are all funded by your taxes.
athairmor@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
Yes, that’s why they are protesting.
SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
Leave it at home for a protest if you care about being tracked.
Pretty much all cell phones can be tracked even when turned off.