I honestly thought this was common knowledge but obviously I was wrong. I get the need to video and document but damn. Don’t use your daily driver folks.
Hot take: Let the press document things, and leave the burner-phone stuff to security professionals. The press more or less requires attribution, so let them front that risk. Meanwhile digital anonymity starts at point-of-sale and is not easy for just anyone to pull off. The overwhelming majority of people are just better off just showing up “naked”.
Then don’t take a phone. If you’re an organizer who needs to communicate, get a wifi/bt only tablet, look up mesh networks that use bluetooth and wifi, learn encryption and learn code words.
It’s trivial to jam any wireless network. All jamming is it to flood the rf range with loud static. But you can still take measures to keep from being spied on.
Edit: also look into if MAC address spoofing. Not entirely sure which models of phones support that, officially or otherwise though.
I used to watch The Hated One, who has also made similar recommendations for strikes. He has suggested the use of Briar, as it can fallback to Bluetooth connectivity.
However, I mostly wanted to point out that burner phones is not the answer for everyone. People need to be familiar with their local laws to stay safe.
Its for censorship resistance, but, in order for the mesh network to be able to identify each other’s device and initiate connections, by design it transmits your bluetooth MAC address to all your contacts, even those added via the internet.
Isn’t Bluetooth a bad idea because it’s bouncing off nearby phones and reporting your position?
Honestly, I think it’s best to put it (preferable a burner phone and not your everyday phone) in a faraday bag and don’t use it unless absolutely necessary and if you want to take photos/video, buy a 2000s era digicam from eBay.
I’m getting a T-Deck, but I don’t feel too bad about using Bluetooth on a phone, as long as everything else is disabled. It isn’t hard to track, but it will be a distant third after cell and Wifi in terms of what the authorities will be tracking. Not ideal, but an acceptable compromise for now.
Please dont take your fucking phone to a protest. Buy a burner if you must.
You will be tracked. And spied on. And facial recognitioned. Etc.
I honestly thought this was common knowledge but obviously I was wrong. I get the need to video and document but damn. Don’t use your daily driver folks.
Hot take: Let the press document things, and leave the burner-phone stuff to security professionals. The press more or less requires attribution, so let them front that risk. Meanwhile digital anonymity starts at point-of-sale and is not easy for just anyone to pull off. The overwhelming majority of people are just better off just showing up “naked”.
Amen!
Digital camera + SD card (about $100) and save the little plastic container that came with the SD card in case you have to swallow it.
In some countries, like Greece, you can’t use an unregistered phone number.
Since phone numbers are tied to people’s identities, does it really matter whether you use a burner or your main?
Then don’t take a phone. If you’re an organizer who needs to communicate, get a wifi/bt only tablet, look up mesh networks that use bluetooth and wifi, learn encryption and learn code words.
It’s trivial to jam any wireless network. All jamming is it to flood the rf range with loud static. But you can still take measures to keep from being spied on.
Edit: also look into if MAC address spoofing. Not entirely sure which models of phones support that, officially or otherwise though.
I used to watch The Hated One, who has also made similar recommendations for strikes. He has suggested the use of Briar, as it can fallback to Bluetooth connectivity.
However, I mostly wanted to point out that burner phones is not the answer for everyone. People need to be familiar with their local laws to stay safe.
BRIAR IS NOT ANONYMOUS
Its for censorship resistance, but, in order for the mesh network to be able to identify each other’s device and initiate connections, by design it transmits your bluetooth MAC address to all your contacts, even those added via the internet.
Isn’t Bluetooth a bad idea because it’s bouncing off nearby phones and reporting your position?
Honestly, I think it’s best to put it (preferable a burner phone and not your everyday phone) in a faraday bag and don’t use it unless absolutely necessary and if you want to take photos/video, buy a 2000s era digicam from eBay.
Right, Briar is not anonymous btw
We got some Meshtastic radios that we use for protests (as well as for protests). They solve most of the problems quite neatly.
As long as it’s a self contained communication version and doesn’t require using the meshtadtic phone app
I’m getting a T-Deck, but I don’t feel too bad about using Bluetooth on a phone, as long as everything else is disabled. It isn’t hard to track, but it will be a distant third after cell and Wifi in terms of what the authorities will be tracking. Not ideal, but an acceptable compromise for now.