The tech world responded to the election and the actions of the Trump administration with an explosion of helpful apps and websites. Find the ones that work best for you, but also remember, if you are participating in direct action, to lock down your own personal web presence and devices.
Let your phone help you take action
Just go to callyourrep.co, enter your email, and get a savable list of your Congressional representatives' phone numbers.
Text the word DAILY to the number 228466 and enter your ZIP code to get on the Daily Action alert list. You'll get a text message every weekday about an issue Daily Action considers urgent based on your address. Tap the phone number in the text to hear a short recording about that day's issue, and then the app will automatically route you to your senator's phone.
We've stressed throughout that face-to-face or phone calls are best, but we like the information aspects of Countable. The app gives you an overview of the bills your representatives are currently debating and can also auto-send emails telling them which way you'd like their vote to go.
Use your phone to stay informed
Follow @TownHallProject on Twitter and find your reps' public appearances; face-to-face contact is the most effective form of communication. This progressive, volunteer-driven initiative could use your help in collating information, if you can give it.
Shannon Coulter spearheads the #GrabYourWallet campaign to boycott retailers who carry Trump brands. Her highest-profile victory so far may be Nordstrom dropping the Ivanka Trump apparel line.
Afraid you're going to freeze up on the phone? Emily Ellsworth has written several articles on how to create a personal but flexible script for talking to your representatives (or, more likely, their staff); check out her pieces at theslot.jezebel.com and lennyletter.com.
Following @RoguePOTUSstaff on Twitter for insider leaks is amusing, but the list they've put together at potusstaff.com/resistance.html is a gold mine of national rallies, protests and actions. Plan your next vacation around one!
Install and use the Signal app
Android and iPhone users both need Signal, an app that end-to-end encrypts messages. No one else, not your phone company or Signal itself, can read or store your messages. Police and snoops can use "stingray" devices that mimic real cell towers, intercepting unencrypted messages.
Two-step authenticate your email, calendar, and social media accounts
If you don't know what this is, Google it and set it up on all of your accounts that use a password to log in. It's an essential for Gmail and Facebook, and sends a text if anyone else is trying to get in.
Lock it with a passcode, not your fingerprint
Police can compel you to use your fingerprint to unlock, but a passcode can be conveniently "forgotten." Since a court ruling in 2011*, you only need a smartphone video camera – and not a press pass – to functionally become a protected member of the press. It is legal to record police in a public place, as long as you are not otherwise doing anything illegal. Police can, however, still arrest you.
Be ready to record and report
The ACLU has not yet rolled out a Florida version of their Mobile Justice app (find it at mobilejusticeca.org), but you can still use it to enable instant video recording with a physical button on your phone. The app uploads videos to the California ACLU, so they are not lost even if deleted from your device.
Use "airplane mode" at protests; turn off GPS and WiFi
You may need to take pictures and video at a demonstration, but texting, using social media or playing Pokemon GO will needlessly expose your device to police interference. If you are planning to live-stream or upload video, use a different device than your personal phone.
* U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston, August 2011: "The news-gathering protections of the First Amendment cannot turn on professional credentials or status."
