SEARCH ENGINES
Duck Duck Go - https://duckduckgo.com/ - Available on iOS, Android, Search engine dedicated to your privacy.
WEB BROWSERS
Tor Browser -https://www.torproject.org/ - multi-layer encrypted web browser - Bonus! Can be used in places around the world where internet censorship is a problem in order to access banned sites.
- Mozilla Firefox -https://www.mozilla.org/ - time tested web browser - has many features and add-ons that will protect your privacy as you use the web.
Recommended add-ons: uBlock Origin, HTTPS Everywhere, Canvas Fingerprint Defender, Privacy Badger
- Brave -https://brave.com/ - based on the same code as Google Chrome but is open source, and focused on your privacy. Has many built in security features and offers add-ons like Mozilla Firefox.
- Proton Mail - free -https://protonmail.com/
- TutaNota - paid -https://www.tutanota.com/
TEXTING
- Signal - https://www.signal.org/ - end to end encrypted messaging with disappearing message feature. Can be used on computers or smart devices.
- Wire -https://wire.com - end to end encrypted messaging with disappearing message feature. Can be used on computers or smart devices.
COLLABORATION
- Cryptpad -https://cryptpad.fr - end to end encrypted doc creation - very similar to old-school Google Drive in functionality. Cryptpad is open source so you can see exactly how it works. You get 500MB free and then have to pay for more space. Note from Cryptpad "Even though CryptPad is designed to know as little about you as possible, it does not provide strong anonymity. Our servers have access to your IP address, however, you can hide this information by using Tor to access CryptPad. Using Tor without changing your behaviour will not guarantee you anonymity, as the server is also able to identify users by their unique cryptographic identifier. If you use the same account when you're not using Tor, it will be possible to deanonymize your session.
For users who require a lesser degree of privacy, CryptPad does not require users to identify themselves by name, phone number, or email address like many other services."
VIDEO CONFERENCING
https://meet.mayfirst.org/ - this runs on a Jitsi (https://jitsi.org/) server which is end to end encrypted itself by the people running the server - they do technically have access to your information (in the same way that Google or Facebook does) but they are a trusted host. Go tohttps://mayfirst.coop/ to find out more about the organization. This server is specifically recommended by the Civil Liberties Defense Center, which is based here in Oregon. The CLDC does not recommend just downloading and running a jitsi server without knowing all the ins and outs of who is running the server - so if you're feeling bold, maybe you can build your own encrypted Jitsi server.
PASSWORD MANAGEMENT
- Firefox Lockwise - free -https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/lockwise/ only works with Firefox. Mozilla Firefox foundation is huge on providing safe and private internet browsing and work very hard to make the internet the place it should be.
Last Pass -https://www.lastpass.com/ free with paid features, including an encrypted note pad.
- 1password - paid subscription -https://1password.com/.
FILE SHARING
- Firefox Send -https://send.firefox.com/ - end to end encrypted file sharing that will automatically delete.
- Onion Share -https://onionshare.org/ - end to end encrypted file sharing that requires the download of this program. Files can only be shared using Tor Browser.
TEMPORARY ACCOUNTS
Handy for those instances when you are asked to give over information you really don't want to share.
Temporary email -https://temp-mail.org/en/
Temporary phone number -https://tempophone.com/
VPN
- Mullvad -https://mullvad.net/en/ - paid service, €5 / month.
- Proton VPN -https://protonvpn.com/ - the makers of Proton Mail, free with options to upgrade.
- Firefox Private Network -https://fpn.firefox.com/vpn - paid service, $4.99 / month.
IP Address Checker -https://whatismyipaddress.com/ - if you're using a VPN your IP address will not show as your actual IP, but that of whereever the network is located.
PANOPTICLICK -https://panopticlick.eff.org/ - When you visit a website, online trackers and the site itself may be able to identify you – even if you’ve installed software to protect yourself. It’s possible to configure your browser to thwart tracking, but many people don’t know how.
Panopticlick will analyze how well your browser and add-ons protect you against online tracking techniques. We’ll also see if your system is uniquely configured—and thus identifiable—even if you are using privacy-protective software.
METADATA can be collected and sold or used to incriminate people! What is metadata? Metadata is information stored within a document that is not evident by just looking at the file. It is an electronic “fingerprint” that automatically adds identifying characteristics, such as the creator or author of the file, the name of individuals who have accessed or edited the file, the location from which the file was accessed, and the amount of time spent editing the file. In addition to data that is automatically added to a document, there is user-introduced metadata, such as tracked changes, versions, hidden text and embedded objects.
Be sure, if you're posting photos from say, a demonstration or protest, you're scrubbing the metadata from the image.
Exif Purge for Mac and PC removes metadata from images - http://www.exifpurge.com/
Windows video on how to remove metadata via preferences - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLzIYJjgap8
- Image Scrubber website removes metadata from images, can add randomized blur and/or paint to image, works on PC/Mac/Mobile - https://everestpipkin.github.io/image-scrubber/
On using your notepad on your phone.
It's highly recommended you don't save passwords or other sensitive information on your phone's notepad. This is yet another argument in favor of using a password manager because the password manager does all the heavy lifting for you. If you have sensitive information you have a hard time remembering, write it down and keep it somewhere safe. Putting it on an electronic device that can be hacked is risky business.
If you use social networking tools such as Facebook, Instagram, etc, consider avoiding using your real name, or real details about you. These services are not free as they say - in fact, you pay in the currency of handing over your private information which is then collected and sold such customers as advertising companies and, yes, political campaigns (see:Cambridge Analytica). Make sure to always check your privacy settings and as annoying as it might be, READ THE PRIVACY POLICIES. It's best you know what you're really getting into when you sign up for anything, including social networking tools. It is not recommended you do any real organizing on these platforms because your content is their content.
Privacy settings check:
Google -https://safety.google/privacy/privacy-controls/
Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/about/basics/manage-your-privacy?_fb_noscript=1
Instagram -https://help.instagram.com/448523408565555?_fb_noscript=1
Twitter -https://twitter.com/en/privacy
Bringing your phone to a demonstration?
Check out this doc here -https://xerocool.neocities.org/device-security.pdf - It's a small doc with some excerpts from this larger source of information. Feel free to distribute as you like.
Many law enforcement agencies across the United States have invested in devices that can identify cellphones in a crowd, and even pull data such as call logs or the contents of SMS text messages out of the air. According to the ACLU, data brokers have pitched social media data sets as a protest monitoring tool for law enforcement in the past.https://www.aclunc.org/blog/facebook-instagram-and-twitter-provided-data-access-surveillance-product-marketed-target
STINGRAYS also known as “cell site simulators” or “IMSI catchers,” are invasive cell phone surveillance devices that mimic cell phone towers and send out signals to trick cell phones in the area into transmitting their locations and identifying information. When used to track a suspect’s cell phone, they also gather information about the phones of countless bystanders who happen to be nearby. More information:https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/stingray-tracking-devices
List of agencies who have these devices: https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them
OPEN SOURCE - Open source products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. It most commonly refers to the open-source model, in which open-source software or other products are released under an open-source license as part of the open-source-software movement.
END TO END ENCRYPTION - End-to-end encryption is a system of communication where the only people who can read the messages are the people communicating. No eavesdropper can access the cryptographic keys nee
Without encryption, corporate platforms can READ YOUR DATA and will share your data. Encryption helps protect you from mass surveillance. Using end to end encryption means surveillance is much harder.
VPN - Virtual Private Network - Masks your IP, encrypts incoming and outgoing data on your computer or network (you can set this up on a router as well so everyone on your network uses it), implements a secure firewall, and lifts access restrictions put in place by your current location. Works on PC/Mac/Mobile.
IP Address - Internet Protocol Address - An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two main functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.
MAC Address - Media access control (MAC) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment.
Civil Liberties Defense Center -https://cldc.org/
The Civil Liberties Defense Center supports movements that seek to dismantle the political and economic structures at the root of social inequality and environmental destruction. We provide litigation, education, legal and strategic resources to strengthen and embolden their success.
May First Movement Technology - https://mayfirst.coop/
May First Movement Technology is a non-profit membership organization that engages in building movements by advancing the strategic use and collective control of technology for local struggles, global transformation, and emancipation without borders.
Electronic Frontier Foundation -https://www.eff.org/about
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. We work to ensure that rights and freedoms are enhanced and protected as our use of technology grows.