Toolbox
Your tools of resistance
Activists face unique challenges in their work—surveillance, censorship, and data breaches are ever present threats. To empower changemakers, this toolbox offers a curated selection of tools designed to protect your privacy, enhance collaboration, and ensure the security of your communications and data. Explore these categories to find solutions tailored to your needs.
Why You Need Tools
Effective activism requires more than a single platform—it demands a thoughtful toolkit tailored to your unique needs and risks. While our platform focuses on discovery and onboarding, helping you find the best tools for your work, we intentionally avoid centralizing the wrong kind of data. The reality is, no one platform can offer the diversity or security required for every scenario.
Security is a shifting scale
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Security exists on a spectrum, and while it’s almost always better to choose more secure alternatives over Big Tech platforms in the long run—like Signal instead of WhatsApp—it’s equally important to ensure these tools remain accessible. Overly complex systems can create barriers, making it harder for others to join and collaborate effectively.
Strive to be as secure as your circumstances require, balancing safety with usability. The goal is to adopt tools that protect your mission while remaining practical and inclusive. Security should empower your work, not complicate it.
Jurisdiction and hosting matter
Where your tools are hosted can have a major impact on your security. Jurisdictions with strong privacy laws, such as Iceland or Switzerland, provide greater protection against surveillance and data seizure. Providers like FlokiNet operate in these privacy-friendly regions, ensuring sensitive data is less vulnerable to external threats.
However, hosting isn’t the only factor. While self-hosting can give you more control, it’s not a silver bullet. Self-hosted solutions require significant maintenance, expertise, and safeguards to be effective. For many activists, secure cloud-based tools vetted for privacy offer a simpler and equally reliable alternative.
What’s right for you?
Choosing the right tools starts with understanding your specific context and risks. Activists often begin with threat modeling: identifying who or what poses a risk to your work, what assets need protection, and how those risks might evolve. A journalist in a conflict zone, for example, will need different tools than a local organizer planning community events. Connecting with a local security group or expert can help refine your approach.
The Activist Toolbox is here to help you navigate these decisions. By introducing tools tailored to your needs—whether you’re securing communication, storing sensitive data, or collaborating globally—we help you strike the right balance between security, usability, and practicality.
Informed choices
With security and usability in mind, you can make informed decisions that strengthen your work without isolating those who want to support it. If you need personalized guidance, contact us to connect with experts who can help you implement the right tools and strategies for your mission.
Tools
Get Help From Experts
Implementing privacy-focused tools can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to do it alone. Whether you’re protecting your organization’s communication, securing sensitive data, or designing a privacy-first strategy, our team is here to help. Reach out to us for tailored advice and support.
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Disclaimer
Using the recommended tools in this toolbox does not guarantee 100% protection against surveillance or data breaches. Digital security is a constantly evolving field, and it’s important to regularly review your practices and tools. Always do your own research before trusting any platform with highly sensitive information.
Messengers
Secure communication is vital for activists organizing protests, coordinating actions, or exchanging sensitive information. However, popular apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, owned by large corporations, collect metadata and may comply with government surveillance requests. This exposes your network to potential risks even if your messages are encrypted.
Recommended tools:
Signal: A privacy-first app with end-to-end encryption and minimal metadata.
Matrix: Decentralized, encrypted messaging that fosters collaboration.
Session: Anonymous messaging with no metadata storage.
Email
Email remains a cornerstone of activism, but mainstream providers like Gmail and Outlook scan emails, store data unencrypted, and may hand over your information under legal pressure. Activists need email solutions that offer end-to-end encryption and prioritize user privacy to safeguard sensitive correspondence.
Recommended tools:
ProtonMail: End-to-end encrypted, user-friendly, and based in privacy-friendly Switzerland.
Tutanota: An open-source email service with encryption as a default.
Mailbox.org: A secure email platform with robust privacy settings.
Password Managers
Weak or reused passwords are an open door for attackers. Popular methods of saving passwords, such as in browsers or on sticky notes, are highly vulnerable. A password manager helps activists secure their online accounts with unique, strong passwords for every platform, minimizing the risk of breaches.
Recommended tools:
Bitwarden: Open-source and cloud-synced for easy access.
KeePass: A fully offline manager for those who prioritize local security.
Storage
Activists frequently handle sensitive documents and media, from protest plans to whistleblower data. Popular services like Google Drive and Dropbox lack robust encryption, leaving your files exposed to hacking, subpoenas, or corporate misuse. Secure storage solutions encrypt your files and ensure only you have access to them.
Recommended tools:
Nextcloud: A self-hosted solution with flexible encryption options.
Cryptomator: Encrypts files locally before uploading to any cloud service.
Seafile: Secure and reliable file syncing and sharing.
Collaboration
Collaboration tools are essential for activists working in teams, but platforms like Google Docs or Slack collect significant amounts of user data and are vulnerable to surveillance. Choosing encrypted, privacy-respecting alternatives ensures your work remains private and secure.
Recommended tools:
CryptPad: Encrypted document collaboration and storage.
Etherpad: Open-source, real-time text editing hosted on your own server.
Jitsi Meet: Privacy-focused video conferencing with no account required.
VPN
Activists navigating censorship or operating under surveillance need tools to hide their online activity and location. Many free VPNs collect user data, log activity, or inject ads, undermining your privacy. Trustworthy VPNs encrypt your connection and do not log your activity, providing a safer way to browse and organize online.
Recommended tools:
Mullvad: Privacy-first VPN with anonymous payment options.
ProtonVPN: A no-logs VPN built by privacy advocates.
IVPN: Transparent, independently audited, and secure.
Browsers
Browsing the web can expose activists to extensive tracking and profiling by corporations and surveillance entities. Popular browsers like Google Chrome collect vast amounts of data, including your search history and location. Privacy-focused browsers block trackers and prioritize secure connections.
Recommended tools:
Firefox: A customizable browser with strong privacy settings.
Tor Browser: Built for anonymity, routing your traffic through the Tor network.
Brave: Blocks ads and trackers while maintaining speed.
Other Tools
Explore additional tools for specific needs:
Anonymous Payments: Monero, Bisq.
Secure DNS: Quad9, NextDNS.
World Maps: OpenStreetMap, Organic Maps.
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