Building a Community Privacy Plan

Digital security training can feel overwhelming, and not everyone will have access to new apps, new devices, and new tools. There also isn't one single system of digital security training, and we can't know the security plans of everyone we communicate with—some people might have concerns about payment processors preventing them from obtaining fees for their online work, whilst others might be concerned about doxxing or safely communicating sensitive medical information. 

This is why good privacy decisions begin with proper knowledge about your situation and a community-oriented approach. To start, explore the following questions together with your friends and family, organizing groups, and others:

1. What do we want to protect? This might include sensitive messages, intimate images, or information about where protests are organized.
2. Who do we want to protect it from? For example, law enforcement or stalkers. 
3. How much trouble are we willing to go through to try to prevent potential consequences? After all, convincing everyone to pivot to a different app when they like their current service might be tricky! 
4. Who are our allies? Besides those who are collaborating with you throughout this process, it’s a good idea to identify others who are on your side. Because they’re likely to share the same threats you do, they can be a part of your protection plans. 

This might seem like a big task, so here are a few essentials:

Use Secure Messaging Services for Every Communication 

Private communication is a fundamental human right. In the online world, the best tool we have to defend this right is end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the sender and recipient of any communication have access to the content. But this protection does not reach its full potential without others joining you in communicating on these platforms. 

Of the most common messaging apps, Signal provides the most extensive privacy protections through its use of end-to-end encryption, and is available for download across the globe. But we know it might not always be possible to encourage everyone in your network to transition away from their current services. There are alternatives, though. WhatsApp, one of the most popular communication platforms in the world, uses end-to-end encryption, but collects more metadata than Signal. Facebook Messenger now also provides end-to-end encryption by default in one-on-one direct messages. 

Specific privacy concerns remain with group chats. Facebook Messenger has not enabled end-to-end encryption for chats that include more than two people, and popular platforms like Slack and Discord similarly do not provide these protections. These services may appear more user-friendly in accommodating large numbers, but in the absence of real privacy protections, make sure you consider what is being communicated on these sites and use alternative messaging services when talking about sensitive topics.

As a service's user base gets larger and more diverse, it's less likely that simply downloading and using it will indicate anything about a particular user's activities. For example, the more people use Signal, the less those seeking reproductive health care or coordinating a protest would stand out by downloading it. So beyond protecting just your communications, you’re building up a user base that can protect others who use encrypted, secure services and give them the shield of a crowd. 

It also protects your messages from being available for law enforcement should they request it from the platforms you use. In choosing a platform that protects our privacy, we create a space from safety and authenticity away from government and corporate surveillance.  

For example, prosecutors in Nebraska used messages sent via Facebook Messenger (prior to the platform enabling end-to-end encryption by default) as evidence to