Sage Lewis – The Shadow

Digital Self-Defense in the Age of Authoritarianism: Why I’m Launching This Series Now

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Sage
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This is for the Dark, Fucked Up Side of Sage’s Message. If you aren’t feeling up for toxic hate, don’t subscribe.

I’m starting something new. It’s not a tech series, not exactly. It’s not just politics either. It’s survival. It’s resistance. I’m calling it Digital Self-Defense.

If you’ve been paying attention—really paying attention—you know something’s happening. Our privacy is vanishing. Protesters are being criminalized. Journalists are being targeted. Judges are being intimidated. The government is gearing up for something, and it doesn’t matter if you’re red or blue, because when the machine starts rolling, it flattens everyone.

Let’s get one thing straight: This didn’t start with Trump. It started on October 26, 2001, with the USA PATRIOT Act. It picked up steam with the 2008 FISA Amendments, and exploded when Snowden showed us just how naked we already were. But now? We’re entering a new phase. A vindictive, targeted, authoritarian phase.

Trump’s pardon of 1,500 January 6th rioters wasn’t just controversial, it was strategic. It was about building loyalty through violence. The wave of anti-protest laws isn’t about safety; it’s about obedience. The arrest of a sitting judge? That’s not law enforcement, that’s a threat to every independent courtroom in America. And don’t think Democrats wouldn’t do the same if the roles were reversed. They just haven’t gotten the chance yet.

They’re coming for encryption now—Signal, ProtonMail, all of it—under the friendly guise of “protecting children.” They’re demanding your location data for simply showing up to a protest. They’re using geofence warrants, Section 702 surveillance, and administrative loopholes to disappear people like Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal immigrant mistakenly deported and locked in a Salvadoran prison despite a U.S. court order.

I’m not telling you this to scare you. I’m telling you because you need to know how to protect yourself. This series will walk you through it—starting with the basics, and moving toward total digital invisibility. Not because you’re doing anything wrong. But because you have a right to disappear.

And one more thing: I’m not doing this anonymously. I’m doing this publicly. I’m not a hacker. I’m not violent. I don’t destroy things. I speak. I use my words, and those words are protected. So if that puts me on some list—fine. Put me on the damn list because the only thing more dangerous than speaking up now is staying silent.

Stay tuned. And remember:
Rule #1 of digital self-defense is—don’t talk about digital self-defense.
(But I will. For all of us.)

What’s Coming in the Digital Self-Defense Series

This is going to be a full series—starting with the simplest tools and building up to advanced tactics for serious privacy and anonymity. Here’s the roadmap:

Level 1: Everyday Protection for Beginners

Low technical skill — for anyone concerned about privacy or government overreach.

  1. Why Digital Self-Defense Matters in 2025
  2. Signal: The Easiest Way to Encrypt Your Texts and Calls
  3. ProtonMail: Create a Secure Email Address (That Doesn’t Sell You Out)
  4. Get a Burner Phone Like a Pro
  5. Intro to VPNs: Mullvad, ProtonVPN & Others That Don’t Track You
  6. Turn Off Your Spy Machine: Privacy Settings on iPhone & Android

Level 2: Stealth Mode for Protesters, Organizers & Watchlisted Folks

Medium skill — ideal for activists, journalists, and dissidents.

  1. Leave No Digital Trace at a Protest
  2. Intro to Tor Browser: Anonymous Browsing 101
  3. Create an Anonymous Identity Online (That Isn’t Tied to You)
  4. Secure File Sharing for Whistleblowers and Journalists
  5. Google is Not Your Friend: Privacy-First Search & Maps Alternatives

Level 3: Full OPSEC for High-Risk Situations

High skill — for those facing targeted surveillance or legal threat.

  1. Using Tails OS in a Public Library or Coffee Shop
  2. Air-Gapped Computers: Digital Isolation for the Truly Paranoid
  3. Secure Your Communications With PGP Email
  4. Decentralized, Censorship-Resistant Platforms (Matrix, Mastodon, IPFS)
  5. How to Disappear Online: OPSEC for Activists Under Threat

Bonus Topics (Coming Soon)

  • Why You Should Ditch Chrome Forever
  • The Truth About Biometric Surveillance
  • Using Linux as a Daily Driver for Security
  • Your Car Is Spying On You: How to Travel Low-Tech
  • Why You Might Need a Lawyer Before a VPN

Subscribe and follow along. We’re not just learning how to stay safe—we’re building a community that refuses to be silenced.

This is for the Dark, Fucked Up Side of Sage’s Message. If you aren’t feeling up for toxic hate, don’t subscribe.