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Rewatching Enemy of the State (1998) and getting wasted to celebrate my first week back in the workforce. I might live tweet it
Despite coming out years before the patriot act and mass government surveillance of private communications becoming normalized, there are many lessons we can still take from it
Lesson 1: don’t talk on the damn phone. I don’t care if you’re using signal or whatever. This can be extrapolated to the modern era as don’t talk in any room containing any electronic device with audio, camera, or gps capability
To be absolutely clear I’m not advising anyone to commit any illegal act. We do know however that journalists and activists have been jammed up repeatedly through electronic surveillance
Lesson 2 is that old chestnut “It’s not paranoia if they’re actually out to get you”. It’s a fine line to walk but one must assume that if they are confronting systems of oppression, the people that control those systems will take notice of you
Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Back up your data in multiple places and don’t rely on physical media that you keep in your home (but I’m getting ahead of myself)
I feel like an asshole calling these live tweets “lessons” cause I don’t have even a fraction of the experience that a lot of people have, so I’ll just be extemporaneous
“Zoom and Enhance” technology does not exist and probably never will, but still always be aware of the positions and angles of view of all cameras in your area if you are covering a protest or attacked by the police or fash
Know your exits/points of egress and have more than one, ideally 3 or more, and in a perfect world you’d know the local terrain much better than anyone chasing you
If you get caught in a bad situation remember that the people chasing you are not omniscient or omnipotent as depicted in the 1998 film Enemy of the State, you have a good chance of preserving your live and freedom
If you think you may need to leave a situation or action quickly, have transportation pre-arranged. Cars work, bikes are great if you don’t have to go too far (just bring your own as opposed to stealing one from a houseless person as in Enemy of the State (1998))
Also uhh, don’t trust the constitution to protect you like ever
(Once again getting ahead of myself but,) trust people you have a bond with. Don’t believe so-called evidence that they’ve betrayed you. See: Prisoners Dilemma
Back to the present, always, always, ask for a warrant before letting law enforcement into your home. Make them slide it under the door if you have to (that said I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice)
That said they can get a warrant that lets them just kick your door in, so don’t rely too much on the mechanisms of the “justice system”
Even opening your door can be spun as “consent” to search your entire abode and person as well as anyone else who may be there
I’m not a fxcckn I expert or anything but maybe I can start a conversation or maybe pass a few things on? There’s a long period at the beginning of the second act where not a lot really happens as far as this thread goes
Lockpicking is a useful everyday skill I wish I had but I know enough to tell you it’s not as easy as they show it in the picthurs
Also tell me that you wouldn’t notice if someone swapped your phone. Like with the exact pattern of cracks on the screen. Thank goodness for them that they don’t need to do that anymore to listen to your calls
Expect dirty tricks, this goes back to trusting the people close to you
Don’t depend on your debit/credit card
If you make a meet, walk 3 or 4 blocks away before you start talking about anything important. Or meet at a big public park and take a hike. Again: don’t take your phones
Back in 1900 union times they used to say “say no names” if I’m remembering my history correctly
To be absolutely clear, I am not revealing any secrets here. This info has been out there since before the movie I’m live tweeting came out, I just hope someone sees this and doesn’t get jammed up
Rely on networks of mutual trust and don’t just follow some guy you meet in the public bathroom from Pulp Fiction
repetitive but: do not carry a gps device on you if you’re on an action or talking about an action (again: I am referring to journalists and non-violent protestors).
That pretty much means every single phone
Lol Bril would use a 1911
Oops actually it’s not. When I go on to viral fame from this thread I’ll get torn apart for misidentifying that gun
