On: How Do I Prepare My Phone for a Protest?

[throwaway11460]

A phone with camera costs $20. Most people have drawers full of adequate older devices.

If you need to prepare for a protest, accessing social media from there using your normal device, SIM and accounts is total bullshit.

[eesmith → throwaway11460]

The camera on a $20 phone is pretty crappy.

College students rarely have a drawer full of older devices in their dorm room.

[throwaway11460 → eesmith]

Crappy, but enough. Or you could buy a $20 camera. If none of these are an option and if there is any need to prepare, don't take the phone at all.

[eesmith → throwaway11460]

I literally quoted the article's suggestion to get an old-fashioned camera instead.

You don't know everyone's situation. If you are at college, you hear there's going to be a demonstration tomorrow, which you want be part of, you don't really have the time or resources to find an old camera, or old phone, or burner phone.

It's all about risk management. If you think it's going to be relatively safe, with what you think is no chance that the college president will send the police or other paramilitary force, then you probably can take your phone and use it to your advantage, while doing what you can to protect yourself in case things go south.

[throwaway11460 → eesmith]

I know you quoted it, that's why I wrote it.

If there is no need to prepare, sure take it - I took my phone to many protests because I'm in a democratic state with strong rule of law and protection of personal freedom and privacy - no need to worry about it.

If there is any need to prepare, either don't go or don't take it. There is no situation in which you actually need to prepare and it's a good idea to take your normal phone and SIM.

The worst thing about this is the false sense of security it creates. All of this "preparation" doesn't help at all.