Safety and privacy of protestors matters and needs to be a priority but ppl need still must document and report what’s happening during uprisings, just responsibly. Younger folks esp deeply correlate photos and film w/ social media to our detriment in moments like these.

I’m not a trained expert when it comes to media at actions, but I know a thing or two from having worked in media and seen, run and attended many over the past 16 years and my thoughts/knowledge on it are as follows:

1. If yr going to document, you should focus on just doing that. Be the media/community reporter. If yr documenting but also raising a ruckus and doing all this other wonderful rebellious shit, you can get arrested, have your phone/camera taken away or damaged in a scuffle

Then it’s either gone and yr shit’s broken or the state has all that evidence of what you and others were up to on them! Major bummer. So come with the plan to just take pics, record, support, go home.

You can claim yr reporting or just surveilling. This does not always guarantee protection (police are supposed to leave media alone however ) but it often does, it can rly help. You will see and notice different shit when yr focus is on keeping watch and documenting too

All that said, there is always a big risk of you getting your shit wrecked or confiscated. If you can, use an old/empty phone or a non-phone camera. The stuff still might be incriminating but it won’t be YOUR WHOLE LIFE and those of ppl connected to you at the state’s disposal

2. If you’ve chosen to record/take photos to upload on SM or to report ethically, learn how to photoshop or get shots that conceal ppl’s identity including their shoes. Record yourself asking for consent as much as you possibly can.

3. If yr an adult be careful documenting minors, as in don’t do that. As a reporter you need their parents’ consent and yr prob not able to get that. It can suck because youth have shit to say and they are recording themselves but they are kids and you are a stranger to them.

An adult can better fully assess and agree to the risk in being documented, a child cannot. Don’t record or post them. Ever. At all. Talk to youth about media at actions, safety and posting online as well.

4. Encourage those you know who will attend an action or protest no matter what they are planning on doing to dress in a way that conceals their identity and to move quickly as they act.

There’s a reason anarchists, for their faults, are adept in these actions.

5. Encourage ppl to leave behind their phones and get a cheap tracfone to use for communication or at least have their phone turned off. Police are known to set up phone surveillance systems to track what people are saying and their movements during actions/protests/uprisings

BTW, be careful what and who yr texting with when yr out there, or what yr sharing or seaching on social media. Again, you’re being watched for many things. Really, just turn your phone off and verbally set up plans including bail and safety plans with people.

6. Password lock your shit!!!! First thing cops do is check to see if they can just look thru yr phone w/o requiring a password. They can still try to get a warrant to get it regardless but always strive to make everything as difficult to impossible for them as you can

7. Document NOT to post, but to have in yr records in case you get something useful to defend and protect ppl or expose ops/the state. You can also wait to share way down the line IF it is safe to do so and nobody’s able to catch a charge or getting targeted from you doing so.

8. DO NOT NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU THINK YR HIDING OR CONCEALING THEM SHARE VIDEO OF PEOPLE DOING ILLEGAL SHIT! People with a better eye trained to find evidence to punish and incarcerate or with some time on their hands can get info from your content.

Again, I think some distant shots or documenting of buildings is prob safe but people’s bodies and faces as they enter and leave the Target or throw things is just not helping nobody.

And hell, let’s say the state can’t get anyone or incriminating evidence from your content-YOUR ass might get in trouble just bc they’re gonna try to squeeze anyone who might have been on the scene for info, and you likely know something even if you think you don’t.

There’s probably a lot more but that’s what I am thinking of rn. If I’m wrong on some points or it could be better said please let me know.
If you can’t take these precautions or are “too lazy” to it’s best to not record or post at all.

The state just need to grab one person with an open phone full of shit or see some things freely posted on SM (no need for warrant to search online!) to really fuck a lot of things up.

Reporting and documenting in moments like this is important for people to tell the truth and share what’s happening with the rest of us around the country esp during media blackouts and the spread of mass disinformation/misreporting/state journalism, but visibility is dangerous.

I know you want to take in, share, report or process what yr witnessing and going thru esp if yr Black, but doing so can put Black ppl’s lives at risk. We saw that happen in Ferguson already.

Some extra tips that might be helpful: https://twitter.com/theblacklayers/status/1266245501290078208