Your Counter-Surveillance Crash Course

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Thank you Jason Hanson

I’ll give you a legal, open-source crash course in counter-surveillance (awareness, not spycraft). This is about staying safe, recognizing when you might be observed, and reducing unnecessary exposure.

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1. Core Mindset

• Awareness, not paranoia: Most people are never directly targeted. The goal is to sharpen perception without losing peace of mind.

• Baseline vs anomaly: Learn what’s normal in your environment so that unusual behaviors stand out.

• Multiple layers: Combine physical awareness, digital hygiene, and common-sense routines.

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2. Physical Counter-Surveillance

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• Situational awareness

  • Use the “5-second scan”: every so often, glance around—mirrors, reflections, shadows in shop windows. Yes, this needs to be done discreetly :)

  • Notice the same person, vehicle, or object appearing in multiple, unrelated places. If a person is "pacing" you, that's a red-flag.

• Surveillance detection routes

  • Vary your path home, timing, and routine (don’t always go the same way at the same time).

  • Double back occasionally—anyone following will reveal themselves.

• Common tells

  • People loitering without clear purpose.

  • Vehicles with the same dents/stickers appearing across locations.

  • Individuals adjusting pace to match yours repeatedly.

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3. Digital Counter-Surveillance

• Devices

  • Keep phones/laptops updated; patch vulnerabilities.

  • Use strong device encryption and biometrics/passphrases.

• Communications

  • Prefer end-to-end encrypted messengers (Signal, WhatsApp).

  • Don’t discuss sensitive details over insecure channels (SMS, open email).

• Online presence

  • Limit location sharing on social media.

  • Be aware of metadata: photos may carry GPS tags.

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4. Personal Routines

• Vary behavior: Predictable patterns are easy to track. Small changes (route, time, order of errands) disrupt monitoring.

• Keep a low profile: Don’t overshare where you’ll be.

• Meetings: For sensitive discussions, pick neutral, busy, public spaces—surveillance is harder in crowds.

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5. Defensive Tools

• Low-tech

  • Sunglasses to discreetly scan surroundings.

  • A notebook to log suspicious patterns.

• Digital hygiene

  • VPNs for browsing on public Wi-Fi.

  • Faraday sleeves for phones when you don’t want tracking.

• Counter-tracking basics

  • Check Bluetooth/Wi-Fi lists for odd devices nearby.

  • Occasionally audit app permissions for microphones, cameras, and GPS.

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6. Red Flags Worth Noting

• Phone battery draining unusually fast → possible spyware.

• Clicking sounds / echoes on calls → could be line monitoring (rare, but possible).

• Consistent “coincidences” of the same stranger being present.

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✅ Summary: Counter-surveillance is about sharpening observation, varying your routines, locking down your digital presence, and being mindful of what you share. It’s defensive, not offensive, and it’s mostly about not making yourself an easy target.