Private Communication Guidance
This page is informational only and not legal advice.
Quick Steps
Fast moves to keep your conversations calmer and harder to grab.
If you only do one thing: Lock your phone with a long passcode today.
- Pick one safer app for each group and confirm who you talk with in person.
- Use a long passcode, turn off lock-screen previews, and keep device encryption on.
- Turn off cloud backups for sensitive chats and photos.
- Keep one offline copy of vital numbers and meetup spots.
Informational-Only Disclaimer
This is guidance to help you choose; it is not a promise.
Adjust tips to fit your comfort and local rules.
This guide shares what to consider and how to act. Laws and risks change, so choose what feels right for you.
Plan Ahead With Three Questions
Clear questions help you decide what to share and what to keep close.
If you only do one thing: Answer these questions before sharing sensitive plans.
- What are you protecting, like contacts, locations, or documents?
- Who might try to get it, such as scammers, employers, agencies, or device thieves?
- How likely is loss or seizure during travel, protests, storms, or crossings?
What Apps Hide, and What They Don’t
Know what gets covered and what stays visible so you can plan.
Use apps that hide message content and be careful with photos.
End-to-end encryption hides what you write from the service. It does not hide who you talk to, when you talk, your device type, or your network. Location tags in photos and contact lists can still reveal information about your device, your timing, and your patterns.
Messaging Choices
Different apps protect different things; this helps you pick the right one.
If you only do one thing: Pick one app and turn on disappearing messages for sensitive plans.
Safer defaults
- Signal: End-to-end encrypted, supports disappearing messages and a code Signal shows to confirm you’re talking to the right person.
- WhatsApp: Encrypted; disable cloud backups and limit profile details. Use disappearing messages for meetups, like during parade nights.
- iMessage: Encrypted between Apple devices; confirm conversations stay blue (not SMS).
Use with caution
- SMS/Text: Unencrypted; avoid for sensitive info.
- Email: Often unencrypted unless both sides use strong protection.
- Social DMs: Rules change; assume screenshots and reporting are easy.
Avoid for sensitive topics
- Shared devices or public computers.
- Open Wi-Fi without a VPN.
- Unverified links or QR codes from strangers.
Email, Aliases & Accounts
A little account setup goes a long way in keeping your information private.
Turn on an authenticator app for your main email.
- Use an alias for sign-ups that do not need your legal name.
- Create separate accounts for community work and personal life.
- Enable multi-factor authentication with an authenticator app instead of SMS when you can.
- Review account recovery options and delete old phone numbers.
Devices, Location & Network Hygiene
Your phone settings matter more than the apps you use.
Turn off location access for apps that do not need it.
- Update your operating system and apps each month, then delete what you do not use.
- Turn off location for apps that do not need it and switch off photo location tags. It helps when moving between parade routes.
- Use Wi-Fi only when needed; pick cellular for quick sensitive calls.
- Restart devices each week to clear temporary data.
U.S. Border Considerations
Traveling with less data reduces what can be searched.
Sign out of sensitive accounts before you travel.
- At U.S. borders, officers may look through your phone. Saying you do not agree may not stop it.
- Travel with minimal data: sign out of high-risk accounts and remove sensitive photos.
- Carry paper copies of vital contacts and meetup spots.
- After crossing, change passwords and check account access logs if offered.
Everyday Habits That Help
Small routines make private chats stay private.
Confirm the Signal code in person before sharing sensitive details.
- Confirm the code Signal shows in person so you know you’re talking to the right person before sharing sensitive details.
- Use disappearing messages for locations and plans, then delete the thread.
- Keep one device powered off and charged as a travel backup.
- Schedule quarterly check-ins to rotate passwords and update meetup info.
Cross-Links
Pair this guide with other pages so everyone knows the plan.
If you only do one thing: Share these links with your group before you meet.
Pair this guide with the Community Safety page for regroup plans and the Know Your Rights script.