Getting images and videos of protests and the violent crackdowns by government authorities that often ensue out to the wider public can be extremely important in building momentum and international solidarity for nonviolent movements. While this may generally not be difficult in western countries, when a repressive regime like the Chinese government or the military junta in Burma wants to cut off the flow of information to its citizens and the international community, such activity can be extremely dangerous for activists.
In preparation for his presentation at the Fletcher Summer Institute for the Advanced Study of Nonviolent Conflict last week, Patrick Meier gave the most thorough run down on digital security – which he defines as “the art and science of staying safe when communicating in non-permissive environments” – that I’ve ever seen at his blog iRevolution. (He also gave a brief recap of every presentation at the conference on his site for anyone who is interested in checking out the other topics that were discussed.)
The must-read list of tactics and technologies that he provides should be extremely useful for activists trying to operate under the watch of repressive regimes. Here is a sampling of his tactical suggestions:
Meier then provides a detailed list of specific technologies that can help activists stay safe and keep their data more secure. Here are just a few examples:
Mobile phones
Digital cameras
Computers/Laptops
Email communication
Browsers and websites
VoIP
Keep working ,great job! Will be back.
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