Protester’s Playbook: How to Stay Invisible Online
Digital surveillance & how to protect yourself before, during, and after a protest
If you're planning to show up, it's not just about where you are — it’s also about what you’re doing online.
Law enforcement and third-party contractors are actively monitoring protest activity online — and they’re not just looking at public posts. They track social media, scrape data, and use facial recognition and geolocation tools to identify protesters.
If you're not careful, your phone can become a tracking device — and your Instagram post a breadcrumb trail.
This is the seventh post in the Protester’s Playbook, a series designed to equip you with the tools to show up powerfully, safely, and prepared:
👉 How to Dress for a Protest: Stay Safe, Stay Anonymous, Stay Comfortable
👉 Protest Safety Guide: How to Protect Yourself in the Streets
👉 How to Document a Protest Without Compromising Safety
👉 Emergency First Aid for Protesters
👉 What to Do If You’re Arrested at a Protest
👉 The Psychology of Protests: Staying Mentally Strong in High-Stress Situations
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How Protesters Are Monitored Online
You don’t have to be doing anything illegal to get flagged. Just showing up can get you on a list — especially if your digital footprint is wide open.
Here's how surveillance happens:
Social media scans — especially hashtags, event RSVPs, and DMs
Geolocation tracking from apps like Facebook, Instagram, and even weather apps
Facial recognition applied to protest footage or livestreams
Fake accounts and bots used to infiltrate activist spaces and group chats
Cell tower dumps to track phones near protest zones
How to Avoid Social Media Tracking
Staying safe means thinking ahead. Even if you're not the one posting, your presence can be traced.
Here's how to reduce your risk:
Post after the protest, not during. Turn off timestamp/geotagging.
Don’t livestream or tag others — even if they’re okay with it.
Use protest-dedicated accounts with minimal personal info if you must post.
Clear out unused apps, turn off location services, and use airplane mode when not needed.
🚫 Mythbuster: “But my account is private!”
It doesn’t matter. If a post is shared, screenshotted, or scraped, it’s out there. Assume nothing is private.
Tools for Online Anonymity (and how to use them well)
Tech can work for you or against you. These tools can help you stay anonymous — but only if you use them right:
VPN: Try NordVPN. Always connect before accessing protest-related info.
Messaging: Use Signal (good enough for our intel community!)— end-to-end encrypted and widely trusted. Avoid WhatsApp for sensitive conversations.
Burner phones: Use prepaid SIMs with cash purchases. Don’t log into personal accounts or connect to known Wi-Fi.
Anonymous browsing: Use Tor Browser or Brave with private browsing and fingerprinting protection enabled.
Photo safety: Don’t photograph faces unless absolutely necessary. Blur or crop before posting.
Before You Go: Your Digital Privacy Checklist
Quick and dirty — here’s your pre-protest digital prep in one place. Run through this before you head out the door:
✅ Turn off all app location permissions
✅ Enable your VPN
✅ Log out of personal social accounts
✅ Use Signal or encrypted channels only
✅ Leave your primary phone at home, if possible
✅ Don’t bring a smartwatch or device with GPS
✅ Review your emergency contact plan (covered in Post #2)
Our power is in how we show up — and how we protect each other.
Staying digitally anonymous isn’t about hiding — it’s about refusing to hand over your rights on a silver platter.
📢 Know someone heading to a protest soon or thinking about it? Please share this post with them. Let’s protect each other while we rise up for something bigger.