Prepare for a Protest
Protect yourself and your community from while protesting or attending any kind of action where arrest risk and surveillance is higher. Here's what you need to know.
Who this checklist is for: Anyone attending protests, direct actions, demonstrations, or events where police presence is expected.
Why does this matter?
We know social movements have been surveilled, infiltrated, discredited, and obstructed by government agents (local cops, FBI, CIA, NSA, etc) for decades. The rise of technology means we’re all being tracked and profiled (even if you've never been arrested).
But there are actions we can take to protect our movements! This guide offers some simple things we can all do before and during a protest/action to keep ourselves and the most vulnerable folks in our movements safer.
Threats to consider
Phone seizure and searching - If arrested, police can try to break into your phone to access your messages, photos, and other private information to use as evidence
Monitoring of communications - Police can intercept regular texts and calls to gather info about protest plans and participants
Location tracking - Your phone constantly broadcasts signals that can reveal your location and prove you were at a protest
Mapping activist networks - By getting data from one person's phone, police can identify entire communities of activists and organizers connected to them
There are many more, but these are a few of the top ones.
Do you need your phone?
The most secure phone is no phone at all.
If you can manage it, just don't bring your phone at all. This is the most secure option for your data and privacy.
That said, we often need to communicate during actions. If you can invest the time and money, a secondary phone is the best middle-ground, because it has the least data on it.
We know that getting a secondary phone won't work for everyone. If you need to bring your primary phone, the list below will help make your phone more secure.
Secure your phone (baseline)
ImportantFully power off your phone if your risk of arrest is going up
Your data is most protected when your phone is off (not just locked)
When your phone is fully powered off, it's more secure against data extraction by the cops. The data is encrypted until after you enter your passcode for the first time.
Therefore, the number one thing you can do to protect your data is turn your phone off as soon as you think your risk of arrest is going up.
How to power off your phone
On iPhone: Press the screen lock button on the side on the side 5 times to quickly bring up the "Power off" option.
On Android: Press and hold the power button until the power menu appears, then tap "Power off"Practice this a number of times so you can do it quickly.
During the protest/action, remind people near you to power theirs phone off when you do.
Trade-offs: We recognize there are trade-offs in turning off your phone. Sometimes it is more important to film the police or coordinate with our allies. Think through what is the priority for you. If you need to film, consider bringing a secondary phone so you have less sensitive data on it.
Disable GPS location tracking until home. (Airplane mode is not enough!)
This keeps your location more private and protect you from surviellance.
How to disable GPS location tracking
Disable location tracking
On iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security > Disable "Location Services" (Quicker shortcut: Say to Siri "Disable location tracking")
On Android: Settings > Location > Disable "Use Location"
Make sure to print maps or save offline maps use on your phone.
If you have any smart watches or bluetooth "lost my keys/wallet" trackers, make sure to leave them at home or disable tracking there as well.
Other tips:
It's also important to make sure your photos app doesn’t have location permissions, otherwise all your photos/videos will have a location attached.
It's also good to disable location tracking permissions for as many apps as possible.
Set your phone passcode to 8 to 10 random digits
It takes years for cops to crack a 8-digit random passcode. They can probably guess your current passcode in less than 5 minutes with automated tools.
How to change your passcode
Generate a random 8 to 10-digit passcode using this random passcode generator. (Don't make one up yourself—humans are bad at choosing randomly!)
Change your passcode:
On iPhone: Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Change Passcode > Passcode Options > Custom Numeric Code
On Android: Settings > Security > Screen Lock > Enter Current Lock > PIN/Password > Enter a Passcode
Practice the new passcode at least 10 times in a row right now so are more likely to remember it. (Disabling biometrics will force a passcode request every time you lock the phone.)
Write your new passcode on paper and keep it somewhere safe at home until you've memorized it. Then destroy it after 2-3 weeks. Setting a remind on your phone can help.
How long does it take to crack a passcode?
Type
| Time it takes to crack (average)
| Example
|
|---|---|---|
6-digit easy-to-guess pattern
| Less than 24 hours to crack
| 333666 (common pattern) 110585 (date pattern for Nov 5, 1982) |
6-digit random code
| 200 days to crack
| 238253
|
8-digit random code
| 40+ years to crack
| 34780026
|
Note: These times only apply to phones. Computers can be cracked much more quickly, and need much stronger passwords.
Sources: The estimates in the table above assume real-world observed attempts/second from police forensic hacking tools. If you need more security, use a 10-digit passcode, which will protect you even under the highest-possible cracking scenarios. See the sources linked in the passcode FAQ here.
Disable face/fingerprint unlock (biometric)
You have stronger legal standing with a passcode than with biometric unlock. Cops can try to force you to unlock with biometrics.
How to disable face/fingerprint unlock
On iPhone: Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Disable "Use Face ID for iPhone Unlock" (you can leave the rest enabled)
On Android: Settings > Lock Screen (or Security) > Biometrics and Security > Disable both "Face Recognition" and "Fingerprint Unlock" for unlocking your phone
Caveat: Face and fingerprint unlock let you use stronger passwords without typing them all the time. If you have to choose, it's better to have a longer passcode than to turn off face/fingerprint unlock.
iPhone locking tip: If you leave face/fingerprint unlock on, you can force your passcode to be used for the next unlock by pressing the side button 5 times.
iPhone camera tip: You can take photos without unlocking your phone by swiping left on your home screen. (In case you get arrested while filming.)
Update your phone to the latest version of its operating system
This helps protect you from hackers, spyware, and passcode cracking tools.
The cops often use tools that rely on weaknesses in your operating system that get fixed in the latest versions.
How to update your phone's operating system
On iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Software Update > If you see an option to update, tap Install now
On Android: Settings > System > System update (or Software update) > Tap Check for update or Download and install if an update is available.
If your operating system is not up to date, many of the other recommendations in this guide will not protect your data or communications.
Use Signal to communicate (texts/calls) for protests/actions
End-to-end encrypted messages protect your privacy from surveillance, while regular texts can be intercepted and read.
How to install and use signal
Install Signal on your phone
Message or call your existing contacts using their phone number or ask someone for their signal username. They must have Signal installed also.
Check out our Signal Checklist for detailed instructions on configuring Signal to be as secure as possible.
Disable previews in Signal notifications
If your phone is confiscated (and still on), the cops can read the messages on your home screen without unlocking it.
How to disable Signal notifications
Open Signal > Settings > Notifications > Notification Content > Select "No Name or Content"
Set Signal disappearing messages to 5-15 minutes on all active threads during the protest/action
Your disappearing messages will expire even if your phone is confiscated (but only if you've read them).
How to enable disappearing messages
Open Signal > Open each thread (one at a time) > Tap the name of the contact or group > Select Disappearing Messages > Set timer to 5-15 minutes.
You can set it to a longer time after the action.
Important: Message only disappear after they have been READ — so new messages will stay on a confiscated phone and be accessible to cops. If you know who's been arrested, remove them from the group.
We recommend also setting disappearing messages for all new threads by going to Signal > Settings > Disappearing Messages > 1 week.
Keep your phone in airplane mode whenever possible at a protest
Protect your location data by disabling wireless connections. This keeps your protest activities private and secure.
Airplane mode will not disable the GPS location tracking. You must disable location services.
If you're bringing your phone, you may need it to communicate. Be mindful that anytime you have cell service, your location can be approximated based on the cell towers you're connected to.
Secure your phone (enhanced)
We recommend this enhanced security section for anyone who is at higher risk of being targeted by the cops. This might include you if:
You’re an organizer or leader in social movement spaces.
You’re likely to be targeted by the cops based on identities you hold (race, sexuality, documentation status, etc.)
You have close connections to many at-risk individuals
If you’re at a higher risk, we recommend actually setting up a secondary phone for protests and activism.
If that doesn't work for you, you can still add many layers of protection to your phone by following both the baseline above and this section below.
Follow our advanced Signal configuration checklist
How to secure signal
Complete all the steps in our Signal Checklist to make signal more secure and private.
Disable voice assistants on your phone (Siri or Google Assistant)
Your phone can be controlled with voice commands even when locked. The cops can use this to make phone calls and send text messages.
How to disable voice assistants
On iPhone: Settings > Siri & Search > Listen for Disable "Hey Siri"
On Android: Settings > Google > Settings for Google apps > Search, Assistant & Voice > Voice > Disable "Hey Google"
Don’t share photos/videos with identifiable faces
Be mindful about sharing photos with people’s faces visible. These can be used as evidence against them if they’re arrested.
Even with the risk, Our documentation of actions is often an essential part of sharing our story and winning people over.
How to take photos while protecting identities
When possible, try not to capture faces in the first place.
Disable automatic cloud uploads on Google Photos, iCloud Photos, etc so that you don’t automatically upload photos before you’ve had a chance to review them and blur them.
If you do capture a photo that has a face, use the blurring tool in Signal if you’re sending a photo that anywhere.
If you’re organizing with a known group of people, discuss in advance what your agreements are for documentation and sharing.
Print directions or use offline maps
Your Google Maps history shows everywhere you've been, and the cops can get this data with a warrant.
You can protect yourself from the “geofence warrants” that cops use to track anyone in a given area.
How to use private navigation
Turn off location services before you leave for the action action/protest.
Keep your phone in airplane mode as much as you can so your cell carrier also doesn’t know your location.
Use old-school printed directions if you can. Print these from Open Street Map to keep your search more private. (Access Open Street Maps using Tor Browser for even more privacy.)
Use an app that allows private, offline mapping and directions. Magic Earth maps are the best (Android and iPhone), but Apple Maps also lets you download offline maps and does a good job. Find the feature inside the app to download an area in advance, then keep your phone in airplane mode the entire time. Automatic navigation features won't work, so you will need to manually step through the directions.
Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Cops can use tracking tools to identify who is in an area based on the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals your phone is emitting.
If you're brining your phone, we assume you're using it to communicate and need a cell connection, and that turning on airplane mode probably won't work for you. Given that, it's best to disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to reduce tracking.
iPhone Warning: Swiping down and using "control center" to disable Bluetooth/Wi-Fi doesn't actually turn it off. It just disconnects you from current networks, but it is still transmitting signals that can be tracked. To fully turn it off, you need to follow the instructions below.
How to disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
On iPhone:
Settings > Bluetooth > Disable Bluetooth
Settings > Wi-Fi > Disable Wi-Fi
On Android:
Settings → Bluetooth → Advanced (or three-dot menu) → Disable Bluetooth and turn off "Bluetooth scanning"
Settings → Wi-Fi → Advanced (or three-dot menu) → Disable Wi-Fi and turn off "Scanning" or "WiFi scanning"
Leave Signal groups that aren’t a part of this action
Leaving groups helps protects the identities of the people you're organizing with. You will likely want to stay in any groups that are part of the current action/protest. If you've got disappearing messages turned on for your threads, that protects the most important thing: the content of your messages.
You need to both leave AND delete the group:
If you only leave the group, old messages stay on your phone as well as the history of who was in the group.
If you only delete the group, new messages will still come through and the thread re-appears.
How to leave AND delete a Signal group
To leave the group: Signal > Group > Tap the group icon at the top > Click “Leave group” at the bottom.
If you're the only admin, you have to either remove all members or assign another admin.
To delete the group from your phone: Signal > Main screen > Swipe left on the thread > "Delete.”
This won't delete it for anyone else.
Security hygiene tips:
Set a recurring remind to clean up your Signal thread every 3 months.
Make sure you take note of which groups you are leaving and who you can ask to re-add you after the action.
Backup your phone
In case your phone gets confiscated and you need a new one.
We recommend backing up your phone on a computer rather than the cloud for more security. The cops can get a warrant for your iCloud/Google backups, online photos, online documents, etc.
How to backup your phone to your computer
For iPhone: Connect to computer via USB cable, open iTunes/Finder, select your device, click "Back Up Now" under the manual backup section, and ensure "Encrypt local backup" is selected for securing your data. (Save your password)
For Android: Connect phone to computer via USB cable, choose "File Transfer" mode when prompted, then manually copy your desired folders (DCIM, Downloads, etc.) to your computer's hard drive.
Use a faraday bag to block all trackable signals from your phone
A faraday bag blocks all signals (GPS, cell, Wifi, Bluetooth, etc) coming in and out of your phone.
In theory, turning your phone off should do the same thing. While not common, there are ways to hack a phone so it can connect to the network even if it is off. A faraday bag provides an extra level of assurance.
A few options for where to buy a faraday bags:
Faraday bag from Mic Lock ($13) - cheapest, but can leak a little signal
Faraday bag from SLNT ($30)
Other protest safety tips
Pick a phone number you'll call if you're arrested. Write it on your body in sharpie.
This is the number you will call if you’re arrested that can support you from the outside. This is relevant for higher risk situations.
How to select a phone number to call if you're arrested
Decide who to call if you're arrested:
If you're not sure whether there is an active jail support hotline in your area, pick someone as your emergency contact and use their phone number. This can be a friend or trusted comrade who can help you get legal support. Make sure to get their consent in advance.
If you're doing a higher risk action, the organizers may have already established a specific legal hotline number for you to use.
If you're in a larger city, there may be a National Lawyers Guild jail support hotline that is staffed to support activists. Check out the list of NLG jail support hotline numbers here. We only recommend using a hotline if you've submitted a jail support form in advance, so they can call your contacts for you while simultaneously getting you support.
Write the legal hotline number on your body in sharpie where it can’t easily be rubbed off (upper arm, leg, torso). Call that number if you’re arrested and given a phone call to use.
Dress to blend in, consider hiding your face if you want more privacy
Cops can use facial recognition technology to identify you from security camera footage. Our adversaries often use “reverse image search” tools to find you and harass you online.
How to blend in
Wear neutral/dark colored clothing that is hard to identify.
Cover tattoos or anything identifiable that would cause you to stand out in photos/videos.
Wear a KN-95 mask for both COVID safety and additional anonymity.
Plan your trip with surveillance in mind
Think through the level of risk you’re taking and consider the level of effort you want to put in to avoiding surveillance.
Some tracking to be mindful of:
Automated License Plate Readers: These are everywhere, but especially prevalent at toll booths and bridges.
Surveillance cameras: Cameras exist inside and outside most businesses/stores/etc and on public transportation. Also think about consumer cameras that exist on things like smart doorbells.
Transit Card: If you are taking public transit using a transit card, this creates a digital trail. Consider paying in cash or buying a single use card when traveling to a protest. (Also: Most public transit always have a lot of surveillance cameras.)
Credit Card: If you use your credit card or tap to pay, you are creating a digital trail that places you at a certain location at a specific time. Consider using cash when possible to increase privacy.
Rideshare apps (Uber/Lyft): Using a Ride Share App to arrive at the protest will create a clear record of your movements and location.
Learn More
Electronic Frontier Foundation - Attending a Protest guide (updated 2024)
CLDC - Expect the Unexpected: Secure Your Phone Against Confiscation or Loss (2021)
Freedom of the Press Foundation - What to do if your phone is seized by the police (2016)
Freedom of the Press Foundation - Your smartphone and you: A handbook to modern mobile maintenance (2024)
The Markup - How Do I Prepare My Phone for a Protest? (2024)
Keep learning with these related guides
Have Questions?
We want to hear your questions/feedback so we can make these guides useful to folks working for change.