The Protesters’ Guide to Smartphone Security
by Jonah Aragon
https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/01/23/activists-guide-securing-your-smartphone/
| Note |
|---|
| protster |
| activist |
| journalist |
| smartphone |
| mass surveillance |
| should you bring a phone at all? |
| leaving smartphone at home is probably safest |
| smartphones are critical for coordination, updates, or documentation |
| burner phone |
| camera |
| public wifi |
| iPhone |
| Android |
| smartphone risks at protests |
| ..losing device |
| ..device being confiscated |
| ..service disrution; intentional or unintentional |
| ..targeted surveillance |
| ..mass surveillance |
| ..targeted interference with communication platforms like Twitter, TikTok, Signal, WhatsApp, … |
| ..device identification |
| ..subpoena to cell phone companies to provide records of data near cell towers in the area |
| law enforcement |
| IMSI |
| SIM card |
| IMEI |
| properly securing phones, burner or not, is difficult and prone to error |
| buy burners with cash |
| do not activate or power on burners at home; locations are tracked by cell towers for at least a year |
| set up burners in very public places insignificant to your daily life |
| always keep burner powered off unless being used |
| purchase burners well in advance |
| use prepaid solutions without identification |
| eSIM |
| use a strong screen lock |
| 6 digit PIN minimum |
| disable biometric authentication |
| Face ID |
| Touch ID |
| shoulder surfing |
| surveillance camera |
| PIN |
| authorities will use biometric authentication to unlock your phone |
| 5th Amendment |
| passphrase |
| hide notifications |
| minimize stored data |
| password manager |
| 1Password |
| Travel Mode (1Password) |
| disable lock screen actions |
| avoid external storage |
| microSD card |
| external storage on smartphones tend to not use as good of cryptographic standards as the phone itself |
| patch/update your phone |
| Cellebrite |
| spyware |
| Google Pixel |
| use hardened alternative operating systems |
| confiscation |
| disable AirDrop |
| AirDrop |
| lock down network settings. |
| stingray |
| 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Privacy Cell |
| F-Droid, Google Play |
| use airplane mode |
| airplane mode |
| carrier |
| use public wifi |
| MAC address |
| WiFi |
| access point |
| cell tower |
| VPN |
| disable location services |
| be mindful of apps that you share location data with |
| disable location services entirely while at the event |
| check your keyboard; some may sniff keystrokes |
| GrapheneOS |
| AOSP |
| Gboard (Google Keyboard) |
| Input Method Editor |
| Use Signal |
| Facebook Messenger |
| end-to-end encryption |
| iMessage |
| protect access to important information |
| ..bring extra batteries or power packs |
| ..sharpie emergency contact, lawyers phone numbers on your body in case of arrest or injury |
| ..ensure you will not hit a data cap at the event |
| check camera settings |
| ..shutter sound |
| ..flash |
| back up your data |
| iCloud |
| Advanced Data Protection (iCloud) |
| keep device locked |
| have a backup communication network |
| ..internet blackouts |
| ..Briar (mesh mode comms) |
| Bluetooth |
| Meshtastic |
| radio: walkie talkies (typically unencrypted) |
| if your phone was taken |
| ..remote wipe |
| ..find your device |
| ..beware of legal consequences; wiping evidence is destruction of evidence in many jurisdictions |
| ..consult with an attorney |
| be mindful of others |
| ..dont post people’s faces to social media |
| ..remove metadata from images |
| ..some tools layer edits and blurring/scribbling over faces can be reversed |