1. If a comrade asks you to stop filming them, stop filming them. Generally speaking, our cameras should be trained on law enforcement and reactionaries, not on comrades who we may unintentionally incriminate.
2. Be cognizant of where and when is an appropriate time to livestream. Law enforcement can watch livestreams for real-time information, and you may be unwittingly helping them repress comrades.
3. Ask for permission to film comrades and get their consent before publishing. If possible, get permission from organizers prior to the action.
4. If you accidentally capture comrades on film, obscure their faces, tattoos, and all other identifying characteristics before publishing. Minimize the need for this by trying to keep comrades out of the frame.
5. Lock your devices with alpha-numeric passcodes. Law enforcement may be able to force you to unlock devices with your face or fingerprint. (Alpha-numeric passcodes require a warrant.)
6. Do not voluntarily give up footage to law enforcement. Ask them for a subpoena, then contact us at [email protected].
7. While it may be valuable to film police violence, that footage does not necessarily need to be published immediately. Make the safety of comrades your priority.
8. Although police violence is never justified, be cognizant of the fact that your interactions with police can undermine your protections as a journalist. To that end, reconsider conduct that you would normally participate in as a comrade, such as verbally antagonizing officers, if you are acting as a journalist.