“Turn Off Bluetooth, Use Signal”: ACLU Advises Anti-Trump Protesters On Evading Gov’t Surveillance

If you want a sign of how the left-wing, permanent protest-industrial complex is gearing up for the next wave of street mobilization, look no further than Chad Marlow, a senior policy counsel at the ACLU.

Marlow, whose work focuses on privacy, surveillance, and technology, has circulated guidance for protesters on social media about how to limit digital exposure, avoid government surveillance, and communicate via encrypted messaging platforms while protesting.

“If you’re protesting and not actively using your phone, the best thing you can do to prevent it from sharing information about you and your location is to shut it off entirely. If you want to turn on your phone to take pictures and record video during the day, turn your phone on, enable Airplane Mode, and turn off Bluetooth. That way, your phone won’t be inadvertently sharing your private location and other data while you’re using it,” Marlow said in a video posted on Instagram.

He continued, “If you need to use your phone, turn it on while you’re communicating, then shut it off when you’re done. By the way, it’s always safest to use a fully encrypted app like Signal, which makes it more difficult for the government to intercept your communications.”

After the North Texas Antifa defendants were convicted over the anti-ICE terror shooting attack and the Minnesota Antifa cell suspects were indicted for anti-government violence, leftist groups have been releasing guides on how to hide and destroy digital evidence.

The ACLU is… https://t.co/HfQv37KL0a pic.twitter.com/WRSFSgGxqf

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 8, 2026

The ACLU is listed as a proud partner of the failed No Kings rally, an event that is far from organic; instead, it is a heavily coordinated coalition of far-left socialist groups, NGOs, and unions seeking a socialist revolution by toppling Trump.

Marlow’s educational session on how protesters can limit digital exposure and evade government surveillance is certainly not a good look for a nonprofit that claims to defend all civil liberties. Instead, it has become a legal arm of far-left protesters.

Related:

• Leaked Memo Shows ‘Pro-Cuba’ NGO Network Preparing To Target ICE, US Bases, Federal Buildings

Concerns that the ACLU is no longer merely protecting constitutional rights but is increasingly helping to equip DSA-aligned protesters for their revolution are very troubling, given what socialists say in their own words:

DSA Members: “The most important thing we can do is take America down from within” pic.twitter.com/phicruCxKe

— DSA Watch (@DSA_Watch) July 8, 2026

This blurs the line between civil-liberties advocacy and activist support infrastructure at a time when the broader protest-industrial complex appears to be gearing up for the next round of street chaos.