Burner Phone 101 & How to Film ICE Safely

Howdy! Usually, I provide a lengthy preamble, but this week we’re doing something different.

Typically, the full transcript for an episode of Stupid Sexy Privacy is available—for free—for those who sign up for our newsletter.

However, lately, I’ve received several requests for explanations on the following topics:

• How to acquire a protest phone/ burner phone anonymously.
• How to film ICE safely.
• What to bring to a protest and how to keep yourself and others safe while there.
• How to use Signal to organize a resistance to authoritarianism; and why Signal should be your main method of communication right now. Especially for those looking to exercise their First Amendment right to protest.

This week, I recorded a full presentation covering these four topics, and we’re making everything available here without requiring any sign-ups. So right after the show intro, it'll go into the new presentation.

We have two requests before you move on to listen to or read our advice:

1. We hope you’ll consider leaving us a one-time $24 tip. You can do so here. If you're following my new column that teaches activists OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) you'll know my car was recently totaled.
2. If you’re unable to contribute—and many of us know that things are tight right now for a lot of us—please forward the link to this episode to someone who could benefit from it. We are stronger together.

Now, let’s get to it!

—BJ Mendelson

"Fearless Leader"

P.S. New episodes of the show come out Thursdays at 11:59pm EST on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and where all good podcasts can be found. We released this episode early due to popular demand.

P.P.S. You may have noticed we did not post show notes for Episode 25. That's totally on me. I've been caught up reporting over at The Monroe Gazette about the ICE situation in Chester and New Windsor. I will post Episode 25's show notes tomorrow.

Stupid Sexy Privacy Season 1, Episode 26 Full Transcript

DuckDuckGo Commercial #2 (Knock Knock-Chrome)

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Stupid Sexy Privacy Intro

Rosie: Welcome to another edition of Stupid Sexy Privacy. 

Andrew: A podcast miniseries sponsored by our friends at DuckDuckGo. 

Rosie: I’m your host, Rosie Tran. 

You may have seen me on Rosie Tran Presents, which is now available on Amazon Prime.

Andrew: And I’m your co-producer, Andrew VanVoorhis. With us, as always, is Bonzo the Snow Monkey.

Bonzo: Monkey sound!

Rosie: I’m pretty sure that’s not what a Japanese Macaque sounds like.

Andrew: Oh it’s not. Not even close.

Rosie: Let’s hope there aren’t any zooologists listening.

Bonzo: Monkey Sound! Or IS IT?

Rosie: Ok. I’m ALSO pretty sure that’s not what a Snow Monkey sounds like.

*Clear hers throat*

Rosie: Over the course of this miniseries, we’re going to offer you short, actionable tips to protect your data, your privacy, and yourself from fascists and weirdos.

These tips were sourced by our fearless leader — he really hates when we call him that — BJ Mendelson. 

Episodes 1 through 33 were written a couple of years ago. 

But since a lot of that advice is still relevant, we thought it would be worth sharing again for those who missed it.

Andrew: And if you have heard these episodes before, you should know we’ve gone back and updated a bunch of them.

Even adding some brand new interviews and privacy tips along the way.

Rosie: That’s right. So before we get into today’s episode, make sure you visit StupidSexyPrivacy.com and subscribe to our newsletter.

Andrew: This way you can get updates on the show, and be the first to know when new episodes are released in 2026.

Rosie: And if you sign-up for the newsletter, you’ll also get a free pdf and mp3 copy of BJ and Amanda King’s new book, “How to Protect Yourself From Fascists & Weirdos.” All you have to do is visit StupidSexyPrivacy.com

Andrew: StupidSexyPrivacy.com

Rosie: That’s what I just said. StupidSexyPrivacy.com

Andrew: I know, but repetition is the key to success. You know what else is?

Rosie: What?

Bonzo: Another, different, monkey sound! Or not. You'll have to listen.

Rosie: I’m really glad this show isn’t on YouTube, because they’d pull it down like, immediately.

Andrew: I know. Google sucks.

Rosie: And on that note, let’s get to today’s privacy tip!

Privacy Tip: Burner Phone 101 Presentation

BJ Mendelson, co-producer of Stupid Sexy Privacy and internationally known information privacy expert:

We've been getting requests to provide a Protest 101 / Burner Phone 101-like presentation. So, in the interest of time, I thought it would be easier to record a new episode of Stupid Sexy Privacy that everyone can share.

If you're new here, hello! I'm BJ Mendelson, your co-producer of Stupid Sexy Privacy and co-author of the upcoming book, How to Protect Yourself from Fascists and Weirdos. If you would like a free copy of the book, you can sign up for our mailing list here at Stupid Sexy Privacy.com, and we will email you a PDF and MP3 as soon as the book is finished.

If this is the only time you wind up listening to Stupid Sexy Privacy, I won't be offended. But I do encourage you to leave us a $24 tip, which you can do using the link in today's show notes. (Link is here to leave a tip.)

The $24 is what we ask members of this website to pay for an annual membership, which allows them to comment on posts, and access commercial free episodes of our show.

This money helps me pay my rent. So, every little bit helps if you'd like to chip in.

If you're short on cash, which is most of us these days, and you'd still like to pay it forward, just send this episode to your friends and anyone who may find it helpful.

If you like what you hear, new episodes of Stupid Sexy Privacy can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and where all good podcasts can be found. With new episodes premiering Thursdays at midnight. So 11:59pm Eastern Standard time on Thursday evenings.

Now. I must legally inform you that I am not your lawyer, this is not legal advice, and your mileage may vary depending on the laws in your area. Use our friends at DuckDuckGo to privately and safely search for the information you need for your jurisdiction. Google and Facebook are not your friends, and they are actively providing information to DHS and ICE. So, try to limit your use of their services as much as possible.

Okay? That said, here is my explanation for how to acquire a protest phone anonymously, what to bring to a protest, what you should know about filming ICE, and some additional safety tips to help protect you from the fascists weirdos.

Part 1: What to bring to a protest besides your rad poster.

The safest phone to bring to any protest is no phone at all.

Instead, the only items you should really have with you at any protest are your passport card and a business card, or piece of paper, with your attorney's contact information. If you don't have an attorney, check for legal resources available from your local ACLU chapter. I also recommend writing the attorney's phone number on your arm in case that piece of paper or business card disappears. Use a body marker that is safe and non-toxic; we recommend the Bic BodyMark Temporary Tattoo Marker. If you're going in a group to the protest, which you should always do if possible, make sure everyone has the attorney's number written on their arm before you arrive at the protest. Once you arrive, make sure you are aware of all the exits and entrances, and have an emergency backup location where you can gather if needed.

When going to the protest carpool or take mass transit if you can. This is good for the environment and makes it harder for law enforcement to track your movements to and from the event.

The passport situation is serious, too. Due to legislation like the SAVE Act and other attempts to make voting more difficult, that passport card may be the only thing that helps you vote in the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election. So, if you can, get both: acquire a passport book and give it to a trusted family member, while keeping the passport card on you at all times. This is especially important for our Latino Brothers and Sisters, because of what's now called the Kavanaugh Stop. Where law enforcement can stop and question someone based solely on the color of their skin and their chosen language. And just a reminder that Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is an alleged attempted rapist and lied repeatedly under oath during his confirmation hearing. Along with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, both men should be impeached and removed from the Supreme Court.

In terms of how to dress for a protest, you've really got two options: Blend in wearing what everyone else is wearing, or wear a silly costume. We recommend dressing like George Washington or a Continental Soldier, because it's America's 250th birthday. Just make sure to leave any and all weapons, both real and fake, at home. This is a peaceful and non-violent movement, and in the immortal words of Batman, guns are the weapons of the enemy. We do not need them. We will not use them. And we will repeal the Second Amendment when this moment passes. Because the concept of needing a weapon to protect yourself from a government invasion, was always a convenient lie told by white supremacists, and has now been exposed here in 2026 for what it is: Nothing more than a justification to allow heavily armed white supremacists to terrorize all of us. Never forget that White Supremacists are the leading cause of violence in America and have killed more people than international terrorists since 9/11.

The frog costumes you've seen are also very effective. We did a whole episode on why wearing a frog costume works, which we'll link to in today's show notes. So I won't cover tactical frivolity here.

There are, of course, other things you can bring to a protest. For most people in most cases are a hat, sunglasses, and an N95 mask should be with you. The latter should be worn to combat facial recognition, the spread of infectious diseases, and tear gas and pepper spray.

Just keep in mind that you're not invincible with an N95 mask, and will only have a few minutes to react in that specific situation. If you find yourself being pepper sprayed or teargassed, you want to find your friends and clear the area as fast as you can. If you want to know what kind of person you'd be when getting pepper sprayed, go to a haunted house and wait a while.

But seriously. If you're not into yoga, now is a good time to get into yoga and meditation and center yourself. If you're not in therapy, and you are fortunate enough to have health insurance that covers therapy, you should get yourself into therapy. Why? Because the single most dangerous thing you can do in an extreme situation is panic. You must remain calm and flexible. Your life and the life of the people around you will depend on this.

If you're looking into a gas mask or respirator, we recommend the 3M Full Face Respirators with P100 Filters.

One thing you definitely want to leave at home are your contact lenses. Always wear your glasses instead for additional protection for your eyes. Speaking of your eyes, if you think you're going to a protest where things are going to get wild, that's where the respirator becomes necessary. If you bring that respirator, also make sure you have saline solution on you and use the saline solution on your hands first. Then use it on your eyes, pouring from the inside out in order to help clear them. Then proceeding down the rest of your body.

When you're home, as much as only psychopaths enjoy cold showers, you're going to have to take as many as you can, using Dawn or another detergent, to get the pepper spray off.

Most of you listening to this, won't face scenarios where you need to worry about respirators and weird green gas that makes you sick for days after inhaling it. However, I have to warn you that any protest you go to, no matter how small, has a chance for escalation by bad actors and law enforcement.

So it's good to know all of your options, and then use your best judgement to determine what you do and don't need beyond the passport, the phone number on your arm, the sunglasses, the hat, and the N95. Write this down somewhere: If I'm going to a protest, I should bring, at the very least: My passport card, an emergency number written on my arm, my sunglasses, my hat, and my N95.

If you get caught up with law enforcement and they offer you water, a cigarette, or anything else, don’t accept it. This is one way they can collect DNA samples to ascertain your identity.

And if you plan to use a phone, then you might also want a portable power bank like the Belkin Portable Charger Power Bank. This way if you're doing a lot of video recording and uploading, you won't run out of power.

Now, let's say you're going to a bigger protest. Like No Kings in New York City. Or let's say the protest you're going to is going to be an all day thing. What else should you bring?

In these scenarios, there are other things you can bring like a backpack with a first aid kit. Just remember that law enforcement will want to examine the contents of your backpack if you encounter them, which they need a warrant in order to do so.

Don't be rude or disrespectful to any law enforcement you encounter. While it's certainly true that a lot of them are cheering this ICE and DHS shit on, that's not all of them. Some of them legitimately want to keep both you and themselves safe. So, I know it's hard, but we have to remember who the enemy is, and the enemy is not your friendly neighborhood police officer in most cases. That doesn't mean you have to answer their questions, which we'll get to later, but it does mean that you have a responsibility to de-escalate whenever possible Recognizing the shared humanity we all have with each other is the first step to de-escalating any situation you ever find yourself in.

Ok, now in that backpack you can put in any medication that you might need, but just keep in mind if you're arrested, this medication and everything else may be confiscated. You can also bring with you asthma inhalers in the event anyone needs them if they're tear gassed or pepper sprayed, and Sudecon wipes. You might also want to pack extra pads, tampons, snacks, and water for the people around you who may need them

(The Sudecon Wipes, by the way, are for decontamination purposes if you're teargassed or pepper sprayed. Hopefully, you will never need to use them.)

Just one last thing about safety before we get to part 2. Make sure someone at home knows where you are, and if you're at one of these bigger events, there are safety leads and event organizers who are well trained and ready to help you if needed. Don't be afraid to say hi to them. They're there to help you. They're also there to be notified if any counter protestors show up to cause problems. Ignore the counter protestors, or Nazis as they should be called, as much as possible. Remain calm if you encounter them, and let the Safety Team know if any of the Nazis seem dangerous.

Part 2: You have a legal right to film law enforcement

Now let’s say you're going to a protest and want to film it or communicate with other attendees. You need some kind of phone. Should you bring your personal device? The answer is no. Whenever possible, please do not bring your personal device to a protest. If you end up at a protest with your own phone, there are some immediate steps to take: put it in airplane mode, go into the settings and turn off location services and any biometrics, such as facial recognition and using your thumb to unlock your phone. If you need to communicate with someone, you can turn off Airplane mode and then turn it back on when you're done.

You should also immediately switch over to Signal and avoid messaging anyone using the default text app or WhatsApp; neither is safe, and both WhatsApp and your default texting app makes it super easy for ICE and DHS to see what you're saying.

If you have no plans to use your phone, just power it down. And, outside of a faraday bag — which we'll get to in a second — you should be fine if you wind up at a protest with your personal phone.

Ok. Let's stop here for a moment. If you're listening to this right now and have your phone near you, I want you to open your notes app, or write down the following things that you should do with your current phone to properly secure it.

1. Make sure you have automatic updates turned on, and turn off your phone at least once a day. This way you get those updates.
2. Use a password manager like BitWarden or KeePassXC and use more passphrases. These are easier to remember than passwords. So for example, instead of F@ckIc3 as your password, you can use Lightswitch-Calendar-HeatingPad. The latter is longer and way harder for a hacker or software to figure out.
3. Turn on multifactor authentication for all your accounts. Confusingly, this is sometimes called Two Factor Authentication.
4. Delete any app that you don't use regularly.
5. Use a VPN whenever possible like DuckDuckGo's or Proton VPN. DuckDuckGo's VPN works for most people in most cases, but if you need something more robust, use Proton VPN.
6. And if if you ever get a text, email, or phone call where you need to think twice about? Don't click on it. Don't respond to it. and Don't acknowledge it.

There. We just made your personal phone as secure as possible, without getting into some more complicated steps.

Now let's get back on track.

If you do use your personal device at a protest, remember that you are under no obligation to unlock it if asked by law enforcement. If someone asks for your PIN, you can simply say, “I don’t remember it.” If law enforcement does end up taking your phone, make sure you get the officer's name, patrol car number if visible, and badge number. Then tell them you do not consent to the seizure of your property. Generally speaking, you should remain silent whenever possible when questioned by ICE or other law enforcement with two exceptions. If they take your phone, tell them you do not consent to the seizure of your phone and request their information.

That's the first scenario. The second is, if they hurt you, which is very possible. Make sure you inform them that they are hurting you. Most law enforcement wear body cameras, and if you're hurt, then you saying "you're hurting me" on their camera footage can be used against them in court. Body cameras are generally useless when it comes to reigning in the bad behavior of law enforcement, which is why it's stupid for Democrats to demand more cameras, instead of clawing back all 75 billion dollars that the Republicans took from Medicaid and Snap and used to fund ICE.

And f you do speak to law enforcement make sure your hands are visible at all times. I also recommend making sure any phone you bring is a bright color or in a case that is a bright color so that it doesn't look black and can't be confused with a weapon.

You have a legal right to film, but not obstruct, law enforcement as long as you keep a safe distance. Think of it like in baseball, where a safe distance is like that of the pitcher to the catcher as opposed to the batter and the catcher. If they tell you to stop filming, just say that you are exercising your First Amendment right to document their activity. If they tell you to back up, you must comply with that order. If the situation on the ground is getting a little freaky, and the police tell you to disperse? That also is a scenario where you must comply with their orders.

In a scenario where you are detained, you can ask, "Am I free to go?" If the answer is yes, and more often than not it will be, make sure you calmly remove yourself from the situation and do not run.

Ok. Before we move on to Part 3m I want to get back to that point on the faraday bag. I strongly recommend getting a Faraday bag from Silent. Regardless of what device you do bring to a protest, keeping it inside a faraday bag makes it almost impossible for someone to intercept any data from it. I say almost because some faraday bags are better than others. The best way to test them, according to Extreme Privacy author Michael Bazzell, is to have your phone stream music to a wireless speaker. Then drop your phone into the faraday bag as its streaming. If the speaker stops playing music, than you know your Faraday bag works. Always have one of these bags on you. There are fewer and fewer scenarios out there where a faraday bag won't come in handy.

So. If you're in a protest area and don’t want ICE to pick up any signals from your personal device, dropping it in a Faraday bag is the best option to prevent that. There's a link in today's show notes where you can purchase a faraday bag from Silent whom we recommend. And to be clear, we have no business affiliation with them, or anyone mentioned in today's episode beyond DuckDuckGo, who sponsors this podcast. For the record, DuckDuckGo exercises no editorial control over the contents of our show and website.

Now let's go to Part 3

Part 3: Burner Phone 101

Let’s talk about how to acquire and set up what many people call burner phones, which we at Stupid Sexy Privacy used to call Stranger Danger Phones. Given what’s happening in America, it’s now worth referring to these as protest phones. Setting these up will take a bit of extra work, but it's absolutely worth it.

First, we often discuss having a privacy notebook at Stupid Sexy Privacy. It’s exactly what it sounds like—a notebook to keep important passwords, like your password manager's main password.

However, the privacy notebook is also useful for practicing disinformation and misinformation. Remember: There’s little reason to ever be honest with corporations, asking for your personal information. So we use the privacy notebook to create aliases and document their details so we can refer back to them as needed. A new alias will be crucial in setting up a new protest phone. And make sure, if you create an alias, only to keep it in your privacy book. Do not enter this information online or share it with anyone.

There are dozens of way for you to acquire a burner phone as anonymously as possible. I'm going to walk you through what I do personally, with the caveat that I am recording this on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026, and these tactics may no longer work or be less effective depending on when you listen to this episode.

I also want to point out that being completely anonymous in today's world is impossible. There are cameras everywhere, and your phone is giving away your exact location at the moment you're listening to this, and that information is accessible for the right price. For example, at the time of this recording, ICE and DHS acquired software called Webloc. Webloc uses accessible commercial information to determine your exact location at any given time. So if you live near an ICE facility, like say the proposed one for 29 Elizabeth Drive in Chester, New York, ICE can see the location of every phone, at any given time, in the neighborhood next to the facility, and in the Town and Village of Chester. This is why, if you live in a state without any privacy law, you need to get out there and loudly bang the drum that emergency privacy legislation be passed. It is inexcusable for laws like the New York Privacy Act to be sitting in committee, and not passed immediately to protect us from ICE.

Also, until those laws are passed, If I want to find you through Open Source Intelligence Techniques, like the kind we're teaching at StupidSexyPrivacy.com, the odds are great I can find everything there is to know about you in a couple of hours. I tell you this for two reasons. First, because people will throw up their hands and say there's no point to trying to be anonymous, and those people are wrong. Privacy is a human right, and the very act of knowing that you are being observed, deprives you of that right because you are almost guaranteed to behave differently, knowing that you are being watched at all times. Second, we can win this privacy fight pretty easily through legislation like I mentioned, and all because we know there are arsonists out there, doesn't mean we should be giving them gasoline. We do not obey in advance. We plant our feet and say fuck you, make me.

So you WANT to take these steps I'm going to recommend. And here I will describe what I did, and you can either copy this or modify it if you have other ideas. Just keep in mind that doing this correctly can get a bit expensive.

First ...

I created an alias named Charlie Puddles, named after two poodles I grew up with. I used the real Charlie's date of birth, February 2, 1998, and for an address, I obtained a P.O. Box.

P.O. Boxes aren't perfect, but the post office allows you to add the names of people who can pick up mail for you at that box.

So, I set up a P.O. Box at a small post office two towns away from my real location, and I added Charlie Puddles as a name of someone who can get that mail. Now Charlie has a birthday and a mailing address. Next, I created a free ProtonMail account for Charlie and an @ Duck email alias following the steps on the Stupid Sexy Privacy contact page, which we will also link to in today's show notes.

Finally, I went to Privacy.com and set up an account, which essentially acts as a protective layer for your real credit card. What I like about these privacy.com cards is that you can enter any name and address when requested, and the card will still work in most places. So, I often use 123 Fake Street for an address, and if I need a real address, I use my favorite Alaskan marijuana dispensary, Great Northern Cannabis, which is 541 West 4th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501. Again, only use that if you're required to enter some kind of address. But in most cases, 123 Fake Street should work.

If it doesn't work, and you have issues with your Privacy.com card, you can ask your bank or credit union to add an authorized user, such as Charlie Puddles and get a card in Charlie's name. Oh and, if you're using a commercial bank, please, do this tomorrow, and open up an account at your local credit union because commercial banks are evil, and there's zero reason the postal service can't offer people basic checking and savings accounts.

Next, I gave a friend $200 in cash and asked them to go to a local Best Buy to see if they could find a Moto G. These are great budget phones that you can get unlocked (meaning no carrier commitment) for about $200. I also provided my friend with $50 in cash to purchase three months of prepaid service on a physical Mint Mobile sim card. (Always opt for the physical SIM card as they are easier to set up.)

Don’t buy a reused phone. For many, many reasons. If you want to try to limit your footprint, you need a brand new phone, which is why I recommend the inexpensive Moto G.

My friend then met me at the local Starbucks with the Moto G and Simcards. We got coffee, and I went to work setting up the new phone using Starbuck's Wi-Fi and entering the alias information. Charlie's email was the most crucial. When it came to entering credit card information, I used my new Privacy.com card.

Finally, when you set up an Android device, Google will ask you a ton of questions, and you're either going to press skip or say no. You don't want them to have any information, and there's a much longer list of settings I can give you to turn everything off. But for sake of simplicity, just say no to everything.

And that was it, we were good to go with our new protest phone.

If you run into issues requiring a physical mailing address instead of a PO BOX, the easiest solution is to find a cheap motel, rent a room for an hour, and use that room number along with the motel's address as your address, which it is legally for the particular day.

Once you're done, download Signal, Proton Drive, Proton VPN, and absolutely nothing else. Activate those apps.

Those three should really be the only apps on this device.

Now this last part will sound weird, but it's really important. Before you're within five miles of your house, you want to put your protest phone into a faraday bag. Only activate it again when you are greater than five miles from your house. This way the phone cannot be connected with you in any real way or accidentally connect to your wifi or a local cell tower, or worse, a fake cell tower set up by ICE, because they do do that.

This phone should only leave its Faraday bag for the purposes of a protest. The number you got from Mint Mobile you can use to set up Signal and then write down in your privacy notebook. But like your real email and real phone number, this new protest phone number shouldn't be given to anyone who isn't a trusted member of your family.

In fact, the protest phone number shouldn't be given to anyone. As soon as you have Signal set up, you should immediately switch over to using your Signal account with a username instead of a phone number, which can be found in the app settings.

So go to Settings > Privacy > Phone Number and adjust the settings to limit who can find you by your number. You can then create a unique username to share with others instead of that phone number. For example, you can find me on Signal at bjmendelson.32 instead of the phone number I used to set up my account.

Oh. One more thing. If you have the extra cash, buy two phones—one that doesn't get set up and one that does. If you ever need to hand your phone to law enforcement, you can give them that decoy. They usually aren’t smart enough to figure out you have two. But. Never lie to law enforcement either. You can try to trick them the same way they can try to trick you, like say offering water to get your finger prints, but you also can't lie to them. I know this is a fine line, so use your best judgement, and again, I'm not your lawyer.

Ok. Part 4 ...

Part 4: How to Use Signal

For now, I want to reiterate that Signal is safe to use. Yes, there are other encrypted messaging apps out there; in fact, some are much better than Signal. However, based on my experience with organizing volunteer efforts and activism, many people struggle to use their default messaging apps. So when you ask them to download a whole new app, it can be incredibly daunting to get them to make the switch and commit to it. It’s easy for the more tech-savvy among us to roll our eyes at this, but I have found it to be true among both the young and the old. Don’t assume people know how to use their smartphones to the fullest—most people don’t.

Sometimes, people will switch to an app like Signal then revert back because most of their friends and family haven’t made the switch. This is incredibly frustrating and very common. So if you are a activist, be patient, and keep repeating the benefits of using Signal over SMS and WhatsApp: Signal is safer than SMS, and you can't trust Facebook, who owns WhatsApp.

The attractiveness of Signal lies in its user-friendliness and appealing features compared to other encrypted messaging options. If you think about it in terms of probability, as I do, the likelihood that someone will adapt to Signal is much higher than their adapting to something like Wire. This is also why we recommend Proton Mail over Tutu, even though TuTu is arguably better. Proton is easier to use.

One thing I will say, noted by smarter folks than me, is if you're going to use Signal for group messaging, there are things you need to be aware of. First, make sure you know who everyone in the Signal group is. As your group expands, the chance increases that not everyone entering has the best intentions. Put another way, the bigger any anti-authoritarian group gets, the greater the odds that there are infiltrators. Always post and behave as if there are potential bad actors watching you. And be wary of anyone advocating anything that isn't peaceful and non-violent. If you ever encounter someone in real life or online looking to agitate for violence, report them immediately to either the Group Admin or the Safety Team on the ground. If needed, you can also report them to local law enforcement. Like I said earlier, not all of them are your enemy. So again, please don't treat them as such.

Generally speaking, you are better off limiting your Signal groups to fewer than ten people. Especially if they are working groups, meaning if you’re discussing actual tactics that are specific and time-bound. If, for some reason, you find yourself in a Signal group with more than ten people, my recommendation would be to switch to something like Element (which is an encrypted, and more secure alternative to Slack).

That said, I want to give people a good use case for Signal aside from protests. So I hope you'll forgive me for this slight tangent, but it's important. I want you to go out and, if you can, meet ten of your neighbors and invite them to join your neighborhood Signal group.

The goal of these groups should be:

1. Make sure everyone is registered to vote, has a plan to vote and transportation if needed to the polling location for every election, even if it's just for school board or a random March election like we have for some villages in New York.
2. Make sure everyone has what they need, for example groceries, if they are afraid to come out because of ICE for example. Or if they need someone to walk their children to the school bus stop, or to school. Remember that ICE snatches people off the street because they don't have warrants. So the street is where our friends and neighbors need the most protection.
3. Make sure everyone knows when the next local government meeting is, that they have a plan to attend, and knows what to talk about. This is a good opportunity to sort out which local politicians are supportive in fighting the regime, and those who are not.
4. Assembling and/or acquiring and distributing whistles and know your rights materials. As well as potential mutual aid if at all possible.
5. Actively communicating with the larger community, through flyers and post cards, about important issues related to ICE / DHS, and other assaults on our rights and freedoms. This is where you can talk about the upcoming protest for example and what to bring.
6. Actively coordinates group meetings if/as needed. These are meetings to discuss local issues and share verifiable information. And to debunk any disinformation or misinformation that may be circulating locally or online.
7. And last but not least: Help each other in any other way that we can, because in the coming days and years ahead, we're going to need each other to get legislation passed to end the Tyranny of the Minority we are all experiencing across America from the White Supremacists.

Only your neighbors and their families should be allowed into these Signal groups.

So, do not post links on how to join these Signal Groups anywhere online, and do not approve anyone who tries to get into the group, until you have vetted them and verify that they live in your neighborhood.

Finally, if you are the organizer of the Signal Group for your neighborhood, you are now the Neighborhood Captain. Congratulations.

As your community starts to sign-up neighborhood Signal Groups, it will be up to you to help coordinate with other Neighborhood Captains to meet the needs of the larger community. This is how change begins. One person at a time.

Speaking of what one person can do, before we get to filming ICE, let's recap the importance of whistles and their roles in informing your neighbors of ICE's presence. Because again, without warrants, ICE needs to snatch people off the street.

So here are four key whistle Tips

1. It’s a series of three short bursts if ICE is nearby.
2. It’s a sustained, long whistle blow to signal if someone is being detained.
3. You can buy whistles in bulk Walmart. Purchase these and hand them out to your neighbors. Make sure the whistles are a bright color. This is important. Bright colors—and anything that can’t be confused as a weapon—are your friends. Bright colors are less likely to be confused for weapons by dumb white supremacists.
4. If someone has access to a 3D printer, you can hold a Whistlemania event of your own to help construct the printed whistles and then distribute them with Know Your Rights Cards and other important information. Whistlemania is what people in Chicago were calling large gatherings of people who got together to make and distribute the whistles.

That brings us to our last item.

Part 5: How to Film ICE

Before we close, I want to remind you of your rights when filming ICE. The situation can vary based on your jurisdiction, so make sure you’re familiar with your local rules and regulations before taking out your phone to film. Also, I've mentioned some of this already, but I also threw a lot of information at you, so some of this is worth repeating for emphasis.

First, you can and should absolutely film ICE at every opportunity. The key is to stay out of their way. If there are directives to stand on a certain street or maintain a specific distance, you must follow those instructions. How do you know if you are “far enough”? If the ICE agent needs to take multiple steps just to reach you, you’re at a sufficient distance. Refer again to our baseball analogy. You should be as far from ICE as a pitcher is to a catcher.

You also need to understand, as we saw with Renee Good and Alex Pretti, that filming ICE involves risk. They can harm you. They have harmed others. If you choose to film them, you are—first and foremost—a hero in our view. However, you are also recognizing the potential for danger. We can’t legally advise you to film them for that reason; it’s ultimately your choice. If they become violent, your priority is to remain calm and quiet. Speak in a low, calm, voice and say, "I have a first amendment right to film your activities without obstructing you. Do you need me to move back?" Again, do not escalate. Let the video and audio speak for itself.

This is also repetitive, but for emphasis: if you opt to film ICE, it’s crucial to remain calm, avoid escalation, and refrain from sudden movements. Be still. Speak quietly like I just said. Keep your tone low. Phones can be mistaken for weapons, and in a high-pressure situation, if you have a black phone and an under-trained white supremacist with a gun, they could shoot you. If you have a black phone, consider getting a pink case to prevent confusion.

When filming ICE, aim to capture their badges, uniforms, license plates, and body cameras. In addition to other details you might observe. If you're at a sufficient distance—like if they instructed you to move back a block—this is an excellent time to provide specific information in your video, such as your location, the number of agents present, their badge numbers, and any other relevant details. Don’t ramble; be clear and succinct. Think about what information will be needed in court. Stick to the facts.

Don’t assume anything. Don’t record yourself making assumptions, as anything related to an arrest you’re documenting is admissible in court.

If you decide to film, do not reveal the identity of the person being detained by ICE. Avoid filming anything that could identify them for retaliation, such as their apartment number. If you are filming, inform people of your general vicinity and look for recognizable landmarks and buildings.

If possible, ask the person being detained what they need or how you can assist them. If that person requests that you stop filming, follow their instructions. Their safety and dignity are your top priority. We film to protect our brothers and sisters. Don’t do anything that could harm them or yourself. You can also remind the person being detained of their right to remain silent and their right not to sign any documents presented to them by ICE.

I know we mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating also: One reason we recommend utilizing a protest phone is that ICE could demand to search your phone while you are filming them. The purpose of the protest phone is to limit its contents to nothing more than Proton Drive — which is there only to backup your photos and video. Proton VPN to help shield you identity, and Signal to communicate. You are under no obligation to unlock your phone without a warrant. But make sure you’re not using biometrics like your thumbprint or facial scan, as this makes it easier for someone to unlock your device—always, always, always use a long PIN on any phone you have, regardless of whether or not it's a protest phone or your real phone.

Given how violent and irrational ICE agents can be, don’t resist if they insist on taking your phone. If you have a decoy, try to slip them the decoy. Either way, obtain the officer's name, and badge number, and tell them you do not consent to the seizure. If they instruct you to stop filming, again just say you are exercising your First Amendment right to document their activities.

Lastly, if you are going to film ICE, make sure you’ve enabled automatic backup of your videos to Proton Drive. Do not alter the name or any details of these files. Do not trust Google or Apple with your files either; Proton Drive is the way to go. Google has been turning over data to DHS and ICE. Neither of these two companies can be trusted, and both should financially be boycotted. If you are paying for any Apple or Google services, today is a great day to cancel them.

If you plan to edit or add elements like captions to any videos or pictures that you took, make a copy of the original video first. Do not edit the original.

When sharing the video on social media, for example as many Rapid Response groups do when they spot ICE, be aware that anyone can see who shares that video, and it may have consequences for you later on. Share it first with people you trust and who can assist before making it public. And before making any picture public, make sure to remove their EXIF Data. We'll include a link to an EXIF Data remover in the show notes for this episode.

If you have any questions, you can send us an email by visiting our Contact Page at Stupid Sexy Privacy.com. And before I go I want to close with two questions and a few statements the ACLU wants you to use when interacting with law enforcement. They are as follows:

1. Am I free to go? If not, why?
2. I wish to remain silent.
3. I do not consent to this search.
4. Am I under arrest?
5. I want to speak to a lawyer.
6. "You are hurting me."

Write these six statements down and memorize them. Hopefully you'll never have to sat them, but if you do, you'll be ready.

That's all I got for now. When the Second Season of Stupid Sexy Privacy premiers in April, we will cover more stuff like this in greater detail. I hope to see you then, but if not, my name is BJ Mendelson, you can reach me on Signal at bjmendelson.32, and if you liked the contents of this episode, you can leave me a $24 tip using the link right here.

DDG Live Read Script #1 - The Browser

Rosie: There’s no Stupid Sexy Privacy without our friends at DuckDuckGo. 

So, if you want to thank them for making this show possible, we hope you’ll check them out.

Because Stupid Sexy Privacy is a people powered project. 

With a couple of exceptions — like producing podcast transcripts through Riverside — we don’t use AI.

Everyone who works here is getting compensated for their time, effort, and energy.

The only way that’s possible is to find good partners like DuckDuckGo.

So today, we’re going to highlight DuckDuckGo’s web browser. 

A tool millions of people have switched to, in order to more safely search and browse the Web.

And the best part is, the DuckDuckGo browser is free, just like all the content we create at Stupid Sexy Privacy.

We make our money from DuckDuckGo. 

DuckDuckGo makes its money by selling privacy-respecting search advertising. 

These are ads based on what you’ve searched for.

They’re not generated by data gathered without your consent.

And if you have an Android phone, the DuckDuckGo App offers a nice additional layer of privacy.

It does this by blocking invasive data harvesting from the other apps on your phone. 

For example, when BJ wrote this ad, in the last hour, DuckDuckGo’s App Tracking Protection for Android blocked 218 tracking attempts by Substack and four other Apps on his phone.

And in the last week, DuckDuckGo’s App blocked 9,202 tracking attempts across 11 different apps. 

This included 43 tracking attempts from the Starbucks App, despite the fact that BJ hasn’t been to a Starbucks in over a month.

At Stupid Sexy Privacy, we’re never going to recommend you use something that we don’t use ourselves.

So, do you want to take back control of your personal information?

Well, there’s a browser designed for data protection, not data collection, and that’s DuckDuckGo.

Make sure you visit DuckDuckGo.com today.

And check out this episode’s show notes for a link to Download the DuckDuckGo Browser for your laptop and mobile device

Stupid Sexy Privacy Outro

Rosie: This episode of Stupid Sexy Privacy was recorded in Hollywood, California.

It was written by BJ Mendelson, produced by Andrew VanVoorhis, and hosted by me, Rosie Tran.

And of course, our program is sponsored by our friends at DuckDuckGo.

If you enjoy the show, I hope you’ll take a moment to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you may be listening.

This won’t take more than two minutes of your time, and leaving us a review will help other people find us.

We have a crazy goal of helping five percent of Americans get 1% better at protecting themselves from Fascists and Weirdos.

Your reviews can help us reach that goal, since leaving one makes our show easier to find.

So, please take a moment to leave us a review, and I’ll see you right back here next Thursday at midnight. 

After you watch Rosie Tran Presents on Amazon Prime, right?