Protest Privacy Recommendations: An Analysis of Digital Surveillance Circumvention Advice During Black Lives Matter Protests

This paper describes a qualitative study of media and advocacy publications about digital surveillance in the context of Black Lives Matter protests, including recommendations for techniques on how to circumvent such surveillance. We conducted a content analysis of the recommendations given for circumventing surveillance provided by media, news, activist, and commercial outlets. We describe the recommendations provided and identify common fears and implications of protest surveillance as expressed by these sources. We identified thematic categories of surveillance fears and implications, including ruined reputations, online harassment, arrest, lack of transparency, and the chilling of free speech and protest. Finally, we describe what we see as challenges protesters will have implementing the recommendations (for example, due to availability and accessibility of technology and certain types of expertise required), complicating the creation of the kind of security culture protesters need.