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Be safe or be seen? How Russian activists negotiate visibility and security in online resistance practices

Lokot, Tetyana orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-2488-4045 (2018) Be safe or be seen? How Russian activists negotiate visibility and security in online resistance practices. Surveillance & Society, 16 (3). pp. 332-346. ISSN 1477-7487

Abstract
This paper examines how Russian opposition activists negotiate online visibility—their own and that of their messages and campaigns—and the security concerns brought on by the pervasive digital surveillance that the state resorts to in order to reinstate its control over the online discursive space. By examining the internet-based presence and activity of the members of Alexey Navalny’s FBK (Anti-Corruption Foundation) and other opposition activists, the paper traces connections between everyday security practices that these activists engage in online and the resistance tactics and repertoires they enact in an environment where the free and open exchange of information on the Russian internet is becoming increasingly difficult. The analysis finds that Russian opposition activists place a high value on digital, media, and security literacy and that navigating the internet using security tools and protocols such as VPN, two-phase authentication, and encrypted messaging is increasingly seen as the default modus operandi for those participating in organised dissent in Russia to mitigate growing state surveillance. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that Russian activists have to balance the need for security with growing visibility—a key factor for entering the mainstream political and social discourse. The tension between being secure and being visible emerges as a key aspect of resistance practices in an environment of near-constant state surveillance, as activists concurrently manage their safety and visibility online to minimise the risks posed by government spying and maximise the effect of their dissent.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Additional Information:Funded through 2017–18 Journal Publication Scheme of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dublin City University
Uncontrolled Keywords:activism;digital activism;surveillance; security; visibility; Russia
Subjects:Humanities > History
Social Sciences > Communication
Social Sciences > Political science
Social Sciences > Speech
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Communications
Publisher:Surveillance Studies Network
Official URL:https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveilla...
Copyright Information:© 2018 The author(s) Licensed to the Surveillance Studies Network. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Use License:This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. View License
Funders:Dublin City University (DCU)
ID Code:22740
Deposited On:22 Oct 2018 08:40 by Tetyana Lokot . Last Modified 22 Oct 2018 08:40
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