Going to a Protest? Don't Bring Your Phone Without Doing This First

Submitted ⁨⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨throws_lemy@lemmy.nz⁩ to ⁨technology@lemmy.world⁩

https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/going-to-a-protest-dont-bring-your-phone-without-doing-this-first

The right to assemble and protest is enshrined in American law, but it can still be dangerous to hit the streets to make your voice heard. Your devices are a treasure trove of information about you, and you may not always know who’s collecting that data. Take a few minutes before you go to assess your digital and physical safety. Even if you have nothing to hide, you don’t want to accidentally give law enforcement officials any information you didn’t intend to share. Follow these tips to lock down your phone before a protest or other peaceful assembly.

source

Comments

Sort:hotnew top

Shortstack@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨hour⁩ ago
Going to a protest? Don’t bring your phone ~~without doing this first~~

I’m skeptical of bringing your phone at all, either in airplane mode or off, because modern phones still broadcast location when it’s ‘dead’ in order for you to locate it. But I don’t know enough about that to say for sure

source
- frongt@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨hour⁩ ago
  Off should be off. Airplane mode often leaves WiFi and Bluetooth on because airplanes allow them. And GPS doesn’t transmit anything, but if it’s enabled it’s still recording your location.
  
  source
unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨8⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Shitty article. Doesnt even contain the words SIM card or IMEI so it has no business advising people on whats safe to bring to a protest. There is no such thing as cop-proofing a mobile phone unless all wireless modules have been removed. The cops can and do track peoples cell tower signal derived locations and they can log Wifi/Bluetooth MAC addresses in their vicinity.

source
- sobchak@programming.dev ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Modern phones rotate random MAC addresses. For WiFi, capturing SSID probes can be enough to track somebody though (some phones also have some mitigation for that too, like not probing for an SSID after it hasn’t been seen for some amount of time). Even when turned off, many phones, including iPhones, turn into BLE beacons similar to AirTags, which can be used to track you.
  
  source
  - WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works ⁨4⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    almost worthless. I just learned that the android 13 xiaomi phone of a family member broadcasts some of the wifi AP names it knows when scanning for available networks! constantly! why the fuck it does I don’t know because neither are hidden networks that would need this, and there’s no setting for it
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Good additions, thanks.
    
    Modern phones rotate random MAC addresses
    
    My phone does, but im not sure if normal google/apple phones do by default.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
- BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Thank you, I have been saying this. Use a regular camera and be sure to delete meta data off images and videos when uploading!
  
  source
- Jyek@sh.itjust.works ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  This is slightly false in an alarmist fashion. At least in the US, the police are not actively tracking anything without a subpoena to the cellular provider of the phone in question. They can look at the location data after the fact, using a court ordered subpoena. They can also use live location data in an emergency situation,also using a court ordered subpoena.
  
  Cellular data from cell towers on cell networks are private property of the cellular provider companies. That’s not to say you are private while on them. Just that the police are not actively tracking your location through them without great effort for each individual they wish to track.
  
  source
  - linuxguy@lemmy.gregw.us ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    You’ve never heard of a stingray or cell site simulator?
    
    source
  - Bazoogle@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    
    Commercial location data, in this case acquired from hundreds of millions of phones via a company called Penlink, can be queried without a warrant, according to an internal ICE legal analysis shared with 404 Media.
    
    www.404media.co/inside-ices-tool-to-monitor-phone…
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Cell tower data is private just like your google search history is private. Which means absolutely not private. Also cops can (and do) use fake cell towers to make your phone connect to something that they have live access to.
    
    source
  - Zangoose@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    
    They can also use live location data in an emergency situation,also using a court ordered subpoena.
    
    What qualifies as an “emergency situation”? I imagine that definition could be stretched pretty thinly
    
    source
aesthelete@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
You can buy faraday wallets for like $20.

source
- hector@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Others said not all work well though.
  
  Wrapping in aluminum foil works. Thicker is better, more wraps is better. But one wrap stopped my test call.
  
  source
  - aesthelete@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    I tested mine using my keyfob (which is what I bought it for). Test, for sure, but there are ones that work. Aluminum foil also works.
    
    source
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Get a cheap mobile specifically for protests, especially using it for pictures and video.

Set it up to livestream everything, so that any video evidence gained can’t be taken away.

Get a faraday bag for when you need to put that mobile away and not be tracked.

Maybe I’m missing something though?
source
- PillowD@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I got a body cam for about $50 amazon dot com/dp/B0BHZ4PRRG, currently unavailable. Makes a great dashcam too. When the usb charging cable is plugged in it turns on when you start your car and turns off when you turn off your car.
  
  The only thing you’re missing is to put a piece of white tape on the sole of your shoe. When you are lying on the ground It’s a cop signal that you are an undercover agent.
  
  source
0ndead@infosec.pub ⁨5⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Buy a used phone on eBay. Activate with phreely at a library. Only turn on phone at protests. Turn off when you leave.

source
- PillowD@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Interesting, but $25 a month. Tello dot com has a cheap plan for $7.91 a month after taxes and fees. I use it on a $50 Amazon blu phone because I wanted something else for 2FA, and I have a phone ready if my main one breaks or gets lost.
  
  source
Carmakazi@piefed.social ⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
IMO just having your personal device on you in the presence of a protest puts you in danger. They have ample tools to track cellular devices that basically cannot be guarded against without disabling the function altogether, such as with a Faraday bag. They will catch and log that you were at a protest, and use that against you later.

source
- U7826391786239@lemmy.zip ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  don’t leave out the fact that they’ll just shoot you in the face for no reason, and then get “absolute immunity”
  
  source
  - artyom@piefed.social ⁨19⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    And then go on TV and call you a terrorist 15 minutes later.
    
    source
mr_sunburn@lemmy.ml ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
This might be relevant for following ICE around or direct action, but at this point there’s almost zero personal risk from attending something like a rally or a march.

My relatives and even friends my age are afraid to go to protests. They read stuff like this, and it acts as demobilization messaging. In my experience, once you get them to go once they’re no longer afraid to engage, but there’s an initial fear and anticipatory obedience that has to be overcome.

inb4 protests do nothing: getting people to stick their toe in the water helps build commitment that will one day be necessary to gain critical mass for more organized disobedience.

source
- sem@piefed.blahaj.zone ⁨9⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I go to protests without my phone, and I’m afraid every time.
  
  I get that nothing is likely to happen to me, but it could. I get that this is am irrational fear. But idk strategically what to do.
  
  source
  - AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world ⁨7⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    ICE has told the press that they are “at war.” It’s not an irrational fear.
    
    source
  - Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    I don’t think your fear is irrational, for whatever that’s worth
    
    source
- CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml ⁨8⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  
  This might be relevant for following ICE around or direct action, but at this point there’s almost zero personal risk from attending something like a rally or a march.
  
  No. If the data exists at any point, then a future threat will be able to exploit it, so full on nazi style fascism might not be here yet, but when it is, you’ll be in danger. Data can sleep forever before it becomes a threat.
  
  source
- SpacetimeMachine@lemmy.world ⁨7⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  ICE has literally started going door to door in Minnesota looking for immigrants and activists. It’s already starting, people need to be protecting their privacy now.
  
  source
inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world ⁨8⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Cripes all of that and not even, “Buy a burner SIM card”, “Use a VPN at all time if you have to use data”, “For the love of god don’t use biometrics as authorization, use a alphanumeric password to unlock”, “Use the damn encryption solution provided by your phone’s OS”.

source
- ArsonButCute@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨7⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Burner sim won’t help, you need a burner phone too.
  
  source
- Jyek@sh.itjust.works ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  A VPN does not stop location data for your physical device when looking at cellular data from the carrier. Your location can and is always triangulated using cell towers. VPNs only ever protect your IP address from being geolocated and encrypting the data downloaded and uploaded while connected. Bit streams are still sent and received from a physical place in the world before the VPN hides your traffic and that is recorded by the cell provider.
  
  source
- partofthevoice@lemmy.zip ⁨7⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I turned off biometrics for unlocking the phone. Still works for downloads, passwords, everything but unlocking the phone. I’ve barely noticed a change.
  
  source
ZombieCyborgFromOuterSpace@piefed.ca ⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Just don’t bring it. Bring a digital pocket camera instead to document stuff.

Nowadays, you can’t use a mobile phone without signing in to some Google service or Apple. It’s mandatory. Giving them access to every data you own.

source
- anon_8675309@lemmy.world ⁨10⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  That and cell towers….
  
  But a cheap burner. Don’t activate it. Keep it in a faraday pouch. In an emergency remove from faraday pouch and call 911. You can do that on phones you don’t activate.
  
  But everything else, like you said, document with a digital camera.
  
  source
- protogen420@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨11⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I use my android phons without a google acccount without having a custom rom, it is usable just that most people are too ignorant and clueless
  
  source
  - ZombieCyborgFromOuterSpace@piefed.ca ⁨10⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    I have a Samsung phone and it is mandatory to have a Samsung account to use it.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
- sureshot0@discuss.online ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  GrapheneOS or KaiOS?
  
  source
  - floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨14⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    With the SIM completely turned off, maybe. But it’s still a bad idea.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - blinfabian@feddit.nl ⁨12⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    e/OS too? :3
    
    source
empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Don’t bring your phone period. Any and all devices can be broken into by law enforcement. Buy a burner with cash if you need some kind of communication.

source
- sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Yep, ding ding ding, buy a burner phone, with cash, from a store that doesn’t have many or very good cameras.
  
  Bring your real main phone is you thinkinging you know more about cybersecurity and surveillance than Palantir.
  
  99.99999999% chance you don’t.
  
  source
- Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Its not the device cracking that’s the problem; its the “your device was identified at the protest we have labeled a riot and has been tracked to your home, which we will now raid in the middle of the night”.
  
  source
  - Scotty_Trees@lemmy.world [bot] ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Has this regime already done this or are you just saying what the next steps might be if nothing changes?
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
- anon_8675309@lemmy.world ⁨10⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Yes a burner that you don’t activate. Keep it in a faraday bag. In an emergency you can take it out and call 911.
  
  source
- captainlezbian@lemmy.world ⁨19⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  And bring a separate video camera
  
  source
  - db2@lemmy.world ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    No, , this isn’t the 90s. You want a many copies as possible immediately, later might not happen.
    
    source
GreenKnight23@lemmy.world ⁨20⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

Going to a Protest? Don’t Bring Your Phone

FTFY

source
- BradleyUffner@lemmy.world ⁨19⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Someone’s gotta record the fascism.
  
  source
  - GreenKnight23@lemmy.world ⁨19⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    cameras exist.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - PlutoniumAcid@lemmy.world ⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Then use… a camera??
    
    source
  - RightEdofer@lemmy.ca ⁨17⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Someone will (and probably better). There are more cameras at protests than ever in history. What’s missing is mass action by complacent people.
    
    source
  - discocactus@lemmy.world ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Pretty easy to take video on an old phone without a SIM, or with a cheapo burner sim.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - db2@lemmy.world ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Also calling help if/when they shoot you might be helpful.
    
    source
LoafedBurrito@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
These articles mean nothing. You have 2 options.

Leave ALL electronics at home and do not bring anything to the protest that connects to a tower or the internet.

Just deal with the fact you are being tracked and deal with it.
source
nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
I bring my phone and my wallet and my keys and my $7,000 camera and my lawyer’s phone number in my head

source
suicidaleggroll@lemmy.world ⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Shut off and leave your phone at home, buy a pay-as-you-go to bring with you for emergency contact/coordination

source
- partial_accumen@lemmy.world ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  
  Shut off and leave your phone at home, buy a pay-as-you-go to bring with you for emergency contact ~~/coordination~~
  
  Leave the pay-as-you-go phone powered off too, and only power it up if you actually have to use it. If you have to use it once, you need to get a replacement for a future event.
  
  I’m thinking perhaps something like Meshtastic transmitters and receivers should be used for coordination instead.
  
  source
  - 7U5K3N@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Meshtastic is exactly what needs to be implemented
    
    I ran across that instance the other day and immediately thought about coordination.
    
    It’s like sneaker net for piracy.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - Brkdncr@lemmy.world ⁨20⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Meshtastic is just as susceptible to listening and isn’t perfect at encryption or anonymity but should be another tool to consider when cellphone towers are down or otherwise unusable.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
- acosmichippo@lemmy.world ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  leave your phone ON at home.
  
  source
- Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Right? It’s like these guys have never seen The Wire.
  
  source
  - Horsecook@sh.itjust.works ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    That show finished airing 18 years ago…
    
    source
- FlexibleToast@lemmy.world ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I believe there are Bluetooth network protocols that mesh that would work for messaging and not require cell service. It would be smart to organize using something like that and just use any cell phone without cell service turned on. That still gives you the ability to call 911 in case of emergencies as well.
  
  source
  - adespoton@lemmy.ca ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Cell service is always turned on on a phone, even with no SaiM card and the phone in airplane mode, and for most phones, even when the phone is “off”. They still ping the local towers semi regularly; they just don’t ramp up transmission power ir try to establish a full connection.
    
    Anyone got a list of Bluetooth devices without a cell antenna where the BT MAC is regularly scrambled?
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - frongt@lemmy.zip ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    True, but if surveillance is your concern, they are monitoring Bluetooth devices too.
    
    source
    -> View More Comments
  - throws_lemy@lemmy.nz ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    You can use Briar, BitChat, or Bridgefy to communicate, without having internet connections. I’ve only tried Briar, which works with cell networks, wifi, also bluetooth.
    
    source
resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
If it makes you feel better, go nuts.

But they have Face ID, gait ID, they have the signal from your cellular-equipped car, on and on.

We are all on the regime’s naughty list. Might as well make the most of it and demonstrate peacefully. And without a mask so you don’t look like an agent provocateur.

source
- acosmichippo@lemmy.world ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  there are less antagonistic looking wasy to mask yourself, such as cute inflatable animal suits.
  
  source
  - resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    100%. Love the frog suits.
    
    source
  - Whostosay@sh.itjust.works ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Good look running when you need to in that, the way it’s looking lately, the need will be there.
    
    source
- merde@sh.itjust.works ⁨20⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  
  Even if your phone is “off” it’s transmitting an ID for antitheft purposes.
  
  Faraday bags!
  
  source
randombullet@programming.dev ⁨16⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
I would like to bring the attention to LoRa.

Meshtastic is a good example of leveraging LoRa.

source
- frostysauce@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  You wanted to bring attention to it but you couldn’t bother to say what it is?
  
  source
- anon_8675309@lemmy.world ⁨10⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I really really hope that this takes off.
  
  source
- jimerson@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Haven’t used my client in almost a year, but my repeater is still running strong.
  
  source
Puddinghelmet@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Cant u just use encrypted messaging services like whatsapp signal telegram? SMS isn’t encrypted

source
baller_w@lemmy.zip ⁨17⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Faraday bag all electronic items; phone, smartwatch; hell, I’d even bag my car keys. Cover your face, especially the eye area. Make your voice heard, but don’t be a data point.

source
DaMummy@lemmy.world ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
What’s the plan for having your phone at home? They’re going door to door and shooting innocent white American citizens.

source
jaschen306@sh.itjust.works ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Would an old school walkie talkie be a better solution? You want to be able to communicate within a group in case shit happen

source