Tech For Activists Hub

Activist Tech Toolkit

A collaborative knowledge base on ethical and legal technology for activism.

CREATED WITH CHATGPT. Not read over in high detail, tech is all plausible but if you are actually going to make anything do more research, for now this is intended as a way for people to understand what is out there to inspire them to learn more.

📌 Project Overview

This wiki documents practical, responsible ways that activists can use technology to resist surveillance, communicate securely, and increase impact. It includes DIY electronics, community-based networks, AI tools, automation, open-source intelligence, and digital self-defense.

We aim to make this useful for both beginners and tech-savvy organizers. Each section will have step-by-step guides, legal notes, and real-world use cases.

🗂️ Structure & To-Do List

This list tracks the planned pages for the wiki. Pages marked as ✅ Done are completed. Others are in progress or open for creation. Click a red link to start that page.

🔧 DIY Electronics for Defense & Surveillance

• Microwave Drone Disruption Devices – DIY microwave weapons for disabling small drones.
• Laser Window Microphones – Use laser reflections on glass to eavesdrop from a distance.
• RF and Bug Detection Tools – Find hidden transmitters or surveillance devices.
• Wearable and Concealable Cameras – Hidden video gear for documenting abuse safely.
• Directional Mics and Long-Distance Audio Gear – Capture clear sound from afar.
• Faraday Enclosures and Signal Blockers – Block wireless signals to protect devices and meetings.

🌐 Community-Based Communication Infrastructure

• Mesh Networks for Offline Connectivity – Decentralized local networks using Wi-Fi or LoRa.
• Offline Internet-in-a-Box (PirateBox, LibraryBox) – Local servers for offline file sharing and libraries.
• LoRa Messaging (Meshtastic, etc) – Long-range, low-power texting without cell service.
• Community Radio and Walkie Talkie Networks – Voice communication without relying on internet or phones.
• Bluetooth and Firechat-Style Protest Networks – Short-range, app-based mesh messaging for demonstrations.

🧠 AI Tools for Activism

• Image and Video Enhancement (Upscaling, Denoising) – AI tools for improving blurry or low-quality visuals.
• Audio Cleanup and Transcription (Whisper, etc) – Clean up noisy recordings and transcribe audio automatically.
• AI Summarizers and Text Analysis – Use AI to summarize, tag, and analyze large volumes of text.
• AI Chatbots for Movement Support – Deploy automated responders for outreach, support, or education.
• Automated Social Media Bots (Ethical Use) – Schedule or automate content distribution and responses.

📣 Slacktivism Optimization & Digital Organizing

• Cross Platform Posting and Scheduling (IFTTT, Buffer) – Automate social media posts across platforms.
• Notification Aggregators and Dashboards – Centralize updates from many tools and channels.
• Automation Tools (Zapier, n8n, Make) – Link apps and automate workflows without code.
• Secure Volunteer Coordination Platforms (Crabgrass, Mattermost) – Organize securely with open-source platforms.
• Educational: Mass Review Campaigns And Automation Detection Concerns - Understand how websites detect bots and how those use the same tools as automation, any tools to help speed up processes on websites could probably advantage reading this page.
• How Websites Can Detect Bots and Automation

🔍 OSINT & Public Data Extraction

• Web Scraping and Public Record Mining – Extract and analyze data from websites and government sources.
• Geospatial OSINT (Satellites, Maps, Photos) – Use satellite and map data to verify or investigate events.
• Social Media Monitoring and Crowdsourced Investigations – Track narratives and verify media collaboratively.
• Using SEC/Gov Databases for Corporate Research – Dig into company records, lobbying, and public contracts.
• Image and Video Metadata and Verification Tools – Extract and analyze metadata to validate media.

🔐 Digital Self-Defense & Privacy Tools

• Encrypted Messaging Apps (Signal, Wire) – Secure apps for protected conversations.
• Secure Email and PGP Basics – Encrypt and verify emails using PGP and secure providers.
• Tor, VPNs and Private Browsing – Tools to anonymize internet activity and bypass censorship.
• Metadata Removal from Files and Images – Strip hidden data from files before sharing.
• RF and IMSI Catcher Detection (Rayhunter) – Detect rogue cell towers and surveillance gear.
• Operational Security (OpSec) Basics – Habits and strategies to protect people and plans.
• Adversarial Fashion and Anti-Surveillance Wearables – Use clothing to confuse facial recognition and surveillance AI.

📚 Other

Additional DIY and Tactical Electronics Ideas

• GPS spoofing and jamming – Learn how GPS signals can be faked or blocked to mislead tracking or drones. Highly regulated; included for awareness only. [Bellingcat (technical overview)]
• Infrared and thermal camouflage – Reduce heat visibility to avoid thermal imaging (e.g. drones or sniper tech) using mylar, survival blankets, or foliage. [Thermal Evasion Project]
• DIY night vision and thermal mods – Hack cheap cameras for night visibility using IR LEDs, or explore budget thermal sensors. [Night Vision Instructable]
• Ambient and through-wall audio tools – Build contact microphones or parabolic mics to listen through materials or at long range. For educational use only. [Hackaday Article]

Resilience, Power, and Infrastructure Topics

• Solar and off-grid power for camps – Build modular solar power kits to run comms gear, charge devices, or power lights without relying on the grid. [Low-Tech Magazine Solar Guide]
• Emergency satellite and amateur radio backups – Use systems like SatNOGs, Iridium GO, or Ham radio for messaging during blackouts or censorship. [SatNOGs Project] | [Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network]
• DIY environmental sensors – Deploy cheap sensors for air quality, water safety, or radiation using Arduino/Raspberry Pi kits. [Public Lab] | [sensors.AFRICA]

Psychological and Information Defense

• Spotting manipulation and narrative control – Learn how disinfo campaigns are structured and how to counter them. [Information Defense], [Tactical Tech: Data and Politics]
• Community morale tools – Use music, visuals, humor, and symbolism to keep spirits high during long campaigns or crackdowns.
• Creative propaganda for truth – Design ethical counter-messaging to challenge state/corporate narratives. Examples include zines, memes, street art, and community radio.
• Dangers of weaponized OSINT – Be aware that some OSINT efforts (like those by Bellingcat) have been linked to state-friendly influence campaigns. Always verify sources and avoid participating in targeting campaigns without full context. [Critical Read] [Kit Klarenberg – Investigative Journalist]
• Psychological resilience – Techniques for avoiding burnout, managing fear, and dealing with surveillance or harassment. [EFF: Stress and Resilience]

Secure Paper-Based Systems for Organizing

• Low-tech backups – Maintain critical info (contacts, meeting notes, maps) on paper in case of device loss, power cuts, or digital compromise.
• Cipher wheels and simple codes – Use analog encryption like substitution ciphers or one-time pads to protect sensitive data offline. [Classic Ciphers Overview – Bruce Schneier]
• Hand-drawn maps and field notes – Use waterproof notebooks and manual sketches for on-the-ground intelligence or directions.
• Paper forms and sign-in systems – Use physical forms for attendance, logistics, or supplies tracking during events or crisis setups.
• Redundancy for high-risk operations – Paper maps, contacts, or plans can act as backups when devices are seized or bricked. [Survivalist Forum – Offline Comms & Records]

Biohacking and Biometric Obfuscation

• Subdermal magnets and implants – Used by some activists and biohackers to sense electromagnetic fields or store data invisibly. [Dangerous Things – Biohacking Implants]
• Anti-fingerprint measures – Gloves with altered textures or specialized films to prevent fingerprint collection from surfaces.
• Gait and posture masking – Use lifts, weights, or decoy clothing to confuse gait recognition systems. [What is Gait Recognition? – CNET]
• Voiceprint interference – Disguise your vocal signature using pitch shifters, background noise, or text-to-speech when calling unknown parties. [ZDNet on Voice Recognition Risks]
• Ethical cautions – Biometric tools can help avoid tracking but may escalate suspicion. Always assess the risk-benefit ratio for your context.

Adversarial Tech, Art, and Surveillance Jam Tactics

• Laser and strobe camera interference – Use low-powered lasers or flashing LEDs to overwhelm camera sensors and facial recognition (legality varies by country). [Vice – Laser Tactics in Protests]
• Facial recognition camouflage – Use makeup, masks, or hair styles to confuse AI. Projects like CV Dazzle show creative ways to break facial symmetry. [CV Dazzle]
• License plate spoofing and adversarial clothing – Clothing printed with decoy license plates or adversarial patterns to poison surveillance data. [Adversarial Fashion]
• Infrared jamming hats and glasses – Use IR LEDs around headgear to obscure faces from night vision or IR cameras. [Hackaday IR Jammer Guide]
• Street projection activism – Use portable projectors to cast protest visuals on buildings, statues, or barriers, leaving no permanent trace.

Note: While many of these techniques are legal to research and build, their use against surveillance systems may violate local laws. Always know the risk before deploying them.

💡 Notes

• Use Category:To Do to view unfinished pages.
• Add your signature and date when starting a page (e.g. -- ~~~~)
• For formatting and page template, see Page Template (Tool/Topic Format)

✅ Progress

Pages Complete: 0 / (count updates automatically later)\ Last Updated: ~~~~\ Maintainers: Add your name below!

---

This page will evolve as we create and refine content. Contributions are welcome – please be mindful of local laws, focus on ethical/responsible use, and cite your sources.