How to Organize Safely in the Age of Surveillance

Title: The New Era of Secure Collaboration: From Encrypted Docs to IRL Meetups

In a world where digital privacy is increasingly under siege, the way we collaborate has never been more critical. Whether you’re organizing a grassroots movement, planning a community event, or simply sharing sensitive information with trusted allies, the tools and strategies you choose can make all the difference. From fully public platforms to end-to-end encrypted services, the spectrum of collaboration approaches is vast—and the stakes are higher than ever.

The Digital Dilemma: Choosing the Right Tools

When it comes to secure collaboration, the first rule of thumb is simple: a piece of information is only as secure as the least secured device that accesses it. This principle, often compared to a Signal conversation, underscores the importance of locking down every device and account involved in your communication chain.

For those who prioritize accessibility over security, platforms like Google Docs remain a popular choice. However, they come with inherent risks, as your data is stored on servers that could be accessed by third parties. On the other end of the spectrum, tools like Proton and CryptPad offer end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only you and your intended recipients can access the information. For the truly paranoid, storing and editing files locally before sharing them over encrypted messaging apps like Signal provides an extra layer of security.

But no matter which approach you choose, experts emphasize the importance of a threat model—a personalized assessment of who might want to access your data and how they might go about it. This means implementing full-disk encryption, using strong passwords (ideally managed by a password manager), and enabling multifactor authentication on all accounts. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The IRL Alternative: Meeting in Person

In an age dominated by digital communication, the idea of meeting in person might seem old-fashioned. But for many, it’s still the gold standard of secure collaboration. Face-to-face interactions eliminate many of the technical vulnerabilities that can compromise digital communications, from hacking to surveillance.

However, IRL meetups come with their own set of risks. If the association between you and the people you’re meeting is already public, or if the location of your meeting could draw unwanted attention, physical surveillance could pose a greater threat than digital spying. From cell phone tracking to facial recognition cameras, the tools of modern surveillance are everywhere.

That said, for many organizing efforts, the benefits of in-person collaboration far outweigh the risks. The communication that people have together physically can never be replaced, says Holmes from the Freedom of the Press Foundation. “I would like to say that the best encryption is the noisy bar where you’re whispering to somebody. But we always do have to think about surveillance architecture, which is incredibly prevalent.”

Assess, Then Act: The Call to Organize

At the end of the day, all organizing—whether digital or physical—carries inherent risks. There’s always going to be some inherent risk to helping other people, says Taylor Fairbank of Distribute Aid. “That’s the reality that we live in, so think about what you’re doing. Build your own threat model. And if you’re not willing to accept the inherent risks of doing something, then don’t do it.”

But Fairbank also emphasizes that these considerations shouldn’t paralyze us. Look at the risk in context, make informed choices, try to be as safe as possible. But, my God, go out there and help people. Because we need it.

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