Digital Security 101

Signal offers strong end-to-end encryption to protect text messages as well as voice and video calls. It supports encrypted group chats, useful for action coordination, and lets you set messages to automatically disappear some amount of time after they’re read.

Proton Mail encrypts the contents of your emails end-to-end (when emailing another Proton user) and is based in Switzerland, under stronger privacy law than a typical U.S. email provider. It’s a solid replacement for a Gmail account tied to your real identity for organizing-related correspondence.

An officer could physically force you to unlock your device with your fingerprint or face in a way they generally cannot force you to reveal a memorized passcode. Using a passcode instead of biometrics also carries stronger legal footing under the Fifth Amendment in many situations. Switch to passcode-only before you head to an action.

If you want to document an action without exposing your primary digital identity, consider using a cheap or old phone that doesn’t have much of your personal data on it, or a prepaid phone bought with cash and a prepaid SIM. This is optional and situational — for most people at most actions, securing your regular phone (this whole page) is enough.

• Keep it logged out of your personal accounts — don’t sign into your real email, social media, or cloud backup on it.
• Still apply everything else on this page to it: passcode-only, encryption, disappearing-message settings in Signal, etc.

You can tell an officer that you do not consent to a search of your device. If asked for your password, you can refuse — though this may result in your device being seized. Consult an attorney before taking any remote-wipe action on a seized device; doing so after a legal hold or warrant can itself create legal exposure.