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Let's talk more about the "men filling in period tracking apps" and why both I don't like it as a suggestion and what you can do instead.

Putting on my data professional hat for a moment.

As a general rule: Anything that can be solved by adding one static term to a database query is at best value neutral

Therefore if your "chaos" data is distinguishable from "real" data with a single static query you aren't really accomplishing anything that will impact an attacker

1/
hachyderm.io/@hrefna/113462751

It is _very hard_ as someone who doesn't specialize in this to create data that is indistinguishable based on a single search term.

It can include, for example:

* What IP addresses you are coming from
* Your username/account/email address (more on this in a moment)
* The content, frequency, or timing of your reports
* The region/datacenter you are connected to or your data is stored in.

2/

Pay particular attention to (2).

If I am an attacker, say a government agency, and I want to check on a person in particular? Nothing you do is going to matter here.

This means that it is a single static database query: their user account information.

But this is your most likely scenario! This is how our law mostly works! It is also the way a lot of these attacks work (that someone is gay doesn't matter until they are inconvenient and you are looking for something on them).

3/

Your IP address means that it can be geofenced. So if you are in Colorado and the attacker is the AG of Texas? You're not doing anything.

If you are living in Europe? Chances are it won't even land in the same data center or, if it does, is _trivially_ distinguishable thanks to how the GDPR works.

To do something effective you have to understand who the attacker is and how they are looking at the data.

4/

Hrefna (DHC)

Then we get to the content.

So we've established that we are worried about a broad sweep being done by the federal government under some new fascist law or interpretation of the law (because the current ones do not support it).

If you are trying to muck up the system you need to be able to insert enough data to matter and it has to _look believable_.

So saying "I have abortions every hour!" will not do anything. You have to have extremely plausible data and it has to be over a long time

5/

What, do you think the fascists in power are going to go "give me all of the records between November 2024 and January 2025 that indicate a person missed a period and then resumed them"?

Even stating it in those terms sounds ridiculous. Of course they won't.

So to create believable data that is useful you have to sit down and build a portfolio of _typical looking use_ that is indistinguishable from other users but will still flag whatever automatic or manual review processes in place.

6/

This is, bluntly, a waste of time. It's performative and at _best_ does nothing.

Sometimes you can use things that aren't effective—especially if they have some other benefit—as asks from an organizer standpoint.

But this doesn't check any of the boxes that work for that _either_. It doesn't require them to take a risk, it isn't a one-and-done and it also isn't something that you are going to follow up with them every week. It also isn't being asked 1-on-1 either.

7/

You can wear a mask.

You can unionize your workplace, starting with some basic organizer training.

You can talk to your neighbors.

You can get involved in politics, either as a candidate or to help build our chances in the future.

You can help people flee who want to flee.

You can donate to organizations that are already doing the work.

You can check in on your friends.

You can start a bookclub around No Shortcuts.

9/

There are myriad other possibilities. Don't let this limit you.

But do think about what the ask is, think about what it is supposed to do, and think about any associated costs.

Because just trying to get a bunch of randos to fill in tracker data is not going to do anything productive but gives a lot of privileged people warm fuzzy feelings.

We don't need privileged people to have warm fuzzy feelings. We need them to be using their privilege effectively.

10/10