Telephones, Teleconferencing, and Voice over IP (VoIP)

Other than email, there is no tool in an activist’s technological arsenal as invaluable as the telephone. Much like the growth of the internet, the advent of mobile phones on a massive scale in recent years has created countless new opportunities for activists. Recently, the Institute for Politics and Democracy on the Internet released a report on the emerging uses of mobile technology in politics: http://www.ipdi.org/politicstogo/publication.htm.

For a more theoretical overview of the implications of technology for social movements, see Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution by Howard Rheingold: www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738208612/ref=sr_11_1/104-5804807-3101502?ie=UTF8

 

Mobile Strategy

MobileActive (www.mobileactive.org), has developed a series of short strategy guides on mobile technology for activists, focused on conceptualizing and planning campaigns that utilize such technology:

http://mobileactive.org/resources/list

 

Ringtones

A recently-developed activist technique has been to distribute specific (usually customized) ringtones, designed to promote a particular political message, to supporters. The normal day-to-day use of these tones in public helps disseminate the message, but activists have also used them to coordinate “ring-ins” at specific times and/or places to magnify their impact.

 

Phone Jams

It is extremely commonplace for activists to encourage supporters to contact particular government or other officials to voice specific concerns. In some cases, however, activists attempt to magnify the effect of the calls by focusing them on a particular target, or timing them to occur within a particular period. When this occurs, there is a greater chance that the influx of calls will prove disruptive to the day-to-day operations of the targeted institution, creating a stronger impetus for the recipient to address the concerns over which they are being contacted. This type of scenario is often referred to as a phone jam, and should NOT be confused with the more common, less focused forms of telephone-based advocacy.

 

Uses of Phone Jams

 

• Discouraging venues from hosting particular events
• Protesting a particular action, such as an institution’s decision purchase Israeli bonds
• Encouraging a particular action, such as the dropping of charges against an individual
• Voicing concerns or opinions to specific individuals, such as officials who display unethical behavior

 

Best Practices for Phone Jams

• Identify the most appropriate numbers to target. Navigate any relevant bureaucracy to identify these before launching the coordinated phone jam. Don't waste time with individuals who aren't decision-makers.

• If a local hotel is to host an objectionable event, such as a fundraiser for West Bank settlers, the hotel itself will not be nearly as receptive to your concerns as the corporate office, which likely had nothing to do with booking the event, but will now have to deal with the results of the poor judgment of their local employees. When contacting individual hotels, contact both the event booking department and general management.

• Corporate offices care about their bottom line. If presented with a story that might involve a loss of business, such as a loyal customer being sufficiently offended by an action to consider
  withholding future business, companies are more likely to be responsive. When a customer threatens to encourage other customers to withhold business as well, the company is likely to become even more concerned.

• Keep them on the phone. The longer the person on the other end needs to spend on the call, the greater the impact on the day-to-day operations of the institution.

• If making repeated calls from the same phone, or if you otherwise prefer to remain anonymous, consider using *67 or other features that block Caller ID.

• If calls are carefully timed so that the person answering receives multiple additional calls before the first one has been concluded, the effect can be more magnified than if the calls are received successively. A mixed approach combining successive calls with short, intensive bursts, can be extremely effective.

• NEVER use obscene or threatening language. Your call is an exercise of your legal right to free speech. There is no need to engage in tactics that may jeopardize your ability to conduct such actions in the future.

• NEVER suggest that anyone else engage in such tactics, either.

• Limit the number of targets to no more than three to five key telephone numbers. Once the key numbers have been singled out, further diffusing the action over additional numbers diminishes the effect. Supporters are also more likely to respond positively to a short list of targets.

• A person who answers multiple calls from the same person may recognize the voice as belonging to the same person, even if the caller claims to be someone else. Take turns with other activists. Consider using alternate voices/accents, but only if they are convincing (test them on friends first).

• Brainstorm different stories to present. Don’t use the same approach over and over. The impact will be greater if a targeted institution believes that different types of customers are upset over an action for different, yet related, reasons.

• Although it might have all of the same effects as speaking to a live person, leaving a voicemail can still be quite effective, particularly as messages begin to accumulate.

• Phone jams can be combined with email, fax, and other campaigns to maximize effects.

• One common technique for uncovering specific numbers is to call the target office's main number after business hours and access the voicemail directory, which typically contains lists of employee names (as well as, in many cases, the mobile phone numbers of various employees left on their voicemail greetings).

 

 

Phone Trees

Although not as common a phenomenon as it was prior to the widespread growth of the internet, many activist groups still use “phone trees” to quickly distribute messages through the organization. The principle behind a phone tree is that each member of an organization is assigned two or more other members whom they are to call in the event a message needs to be communicated, rapidly spreading the message through a branching structure. The popularity of mobile phones, coupled with the fact that most people do not constantly check their email, has prevented email from completely replacing this technique.

 

 

SMS Messaging

One of the most important features of mobile phones, from an activist standpoint, is SMS (Short Message Service), commonly known as TXT messaging. This feature allows short messages to be sent to and from compatible phones. Among many other uses, SMS has been utilized to distribute action alerts, collect petition signatures, and keep protestors apprised of police movements and other real-time developments at large demonstrations.

SMS is also compatible with email, as well as many instant messaging systems, expanding the range of devices and applications that can exchange messages with mobile phones, and with it, the potential of SMS as an activist tool. Typically, the process by which a mobile phone user would send a message to such devices and applications differs substantially from the process by which messages are sent from them. This can also vary substantially from phone to phone.

 

Alternate Means of Sending SMS Messages

 

Through Instant Messaging Clients

Some clients, such as GAIM and iChat, support this. Check your chat client’s documentation.

 

Through Plug-ins for Popular Applications

Examples include:

• SMSMac (Apple Dashboard and Yahoo! Widgets plug-in) (www.smsmac.com)
• Plug-ins for Microsoft Outlook, some listed at www.slipstick.com/addins/pager.htm
• Linux applications such as those listed at http://tuxmobil.org/phones_linux_sms.html

 

Through Web Forms Hosted by Wireless Carriers

Many carriers provide a web interface for sending SMS messages to their users, such as:

• Verizon: http://www.vtext.com/customer_site/jsp/messaging_lo.jsp
• Sprint: http://messaging.sprintpcs.com/textmessaging/compose
• Cingular: http://www.cingular.com/sendamessage
• Tmobile: https://wmg.tmomail.net/customer_site/jsp/messaging_lo.jsp

 

 

Through Email

Most carriers also allow SMS messages to be sent via email to addresses based on the destination phone number. Examples include:

• AT&T: number@mobile.att.net
• Verizon: number@vtext.com
• Nextel: number@page.nextel.com
• T-Mobile: number@tmomail.com
• Sprint: number@messaging.sprintpcs.com
• Cingular: number@mobile.mycingular.com
• Virgin Mobile: number@vmobl.com

More complete lists can be found at www.notepage.net/smtp.htm

 

 

SMS Messaging Tips

 

• Be prepared to use multiple means of sending messages. Different means may be suited to different situations and applications.

• Messages should always be short and direct.

• For large campaigns, encourage message forwarding in any way possible.

• Establish an opt-in/opt-out process for your message list. Don't send unsolicited messages.

• Limit messages to no more than 150 characters, the maximum supported by some phones.

• If more information must be conveyed, it can be split into multiple messages – but keep the number to the absolute minimum necessary.

• Avoid “modern” shorthand; i.e., using “”u” instead of “you”, etc. Use only standard
  abbreviations that would be equally familiar to those new to SMS messaging.

 

 

TxtMob (www.txtmob.org)

The 2004 protests against the Republican National Convention in New York City were unique in many ways. One of the most interesting was that the weeklong series of protests marked the first widespread use of a tool called TxtMob, which had been released only two days before the preceding protests against the Democratic National Convention in Boston one month prior, where the tool was utilized on a far more limited scale.

TxtMob allows a group of mobile phone users to subscribe to the SMS equivalent of an email mailing list. Within these lists, a single message can be sent from a phone and be automatically distributed to the entire list. Like a mailing list, TxtMob groups can be moderated, allowing only the moderator to distribute messages to the entire group, or unmoderated, allowing any users to distribute messages.

The tool was used to keep protestors, and even networks of independent journalists, apprised of realtime developments on the ground, including police and protestor movements, arrests, and spontaneous actions. The use of TxtMob is widely believed to have contributed to the effectiveness with which the protests were coordinated and executed, which at times involved dozens of simultaneous actions around the city.

Because of the similarity to mailing lists/listservs, moderators of TxtMob lists should consult the “Mailing Lists (AKA Listservs)” section of this module, as many of the security tips and other suggestions will also be applicable to TxtMob.

 

 

Additional Resources on SMS Messaging

MobileActive, mentioned earlier in this section, has developed a helpful guide to SMS for activists, found at http://mobileactive.org/wiki/index.php?title=Guttertech_Guide_to_SMS

They also offer a more technical guide to sending bulk messages, available at
http://mobileactive.org/wiki/index.php?title=Bulk_SMS_--_a_Primer

 

 

Teleconferencing

Frequently, activists need to hold meetings at times when not all participants can be physically present in the same location. In these situations, there are a number of technological solutions, including instant messaging/internet chat, videoconferencing, and teleconferencing. The chief advantage of the latter two is that they are most similar to face-to-face meetings. As a result, it’s usually a quicker and easier process to facilitate a meeting using one of these technologies. Their main disadvantage is that they frequently cost money.

Beyond meetings, these types of technologies can also be used to facilitate question and answer sessions and other types of speaking events, all without any participant or attendee needing to occupy a particular physical space. It’s often cheaper and easier to invite a speaker onto a conference call than to arrange an in-person event. A number of activist organizations have made use of teleconferencing in this way.

Although some telephones and service providers support teleconferencing, most do not. Typically, conference calls are accomplished by participants dialing a particular number to access a teleconferencing service, which in turn connects the callers to one another. Such services include:

 

FreeConference.com
This service offers free scheduled and unscheduled conference calls (scheduled calls offer more features), as well as paid services with even more features. Calls logs that indicate when each participant entered or exited a call are available for free. Call recording is available on the paid service, which also includes toll-free access.

 

Free Audio Conferencing (www.freeaudioconferencing.com)
This service offers similar options, including both free and paid calling. Call recordings, which can be made available for download, are available as a paid option. The above services are designed for calls in which all participants are based in the United States.

 

Other services, such as Envoy (www.bestrateconferencecall.com), AccuConference (www.accuconference.com), and InterCall (www.intercall.com) provide similar services, but with international calling options.

 

 

Voice over IP (VoIP)

Voice over Internet Protocol is the technology of transmitting voice conversations over the internet, or any other network (such as a Local Area Network, or LAN) that uses Internet Protocol. VoIP is typically far less expensive than traditional telephone services (Public Switched Telephone Networks, or PSTNs). Further, VoIP services frequently offer features, such as three-way calling and call forwarding, for free – while traditional telephone companies usually charge for these. VoIP can be integrated with other internet technologies such as instant messaging and videoconferencing to provide a multifaceted real-time exchange of information.

VoIP may be particularly useful to Palestine activists because it can facilitate international calls for the same price as domestic calls. This applies to teleconferencing as well: using VoIP, it’s possible for activists all over the world to participate in the same conference call at an accessible price. For activists engaged in international human rights causes, VoIP can become an indispensable communication tool.

 

VoIP Security

Because the majority of VoIP providers do not support encryption, VoIP calls are especially vulnerable to interception and disruption. Recently, the creator of PGP (see the “Encryption and Data Security” section of this module), launched a beta version of a product called Zfone (www.philzimmermann.com/EN/zfone), which can add powerful encryption to some of the VoIP systems currently lacking it. However, the most popular VoIP provider, Skype (www.skype.com), is incompatible with Zfone, claiming to implement its own encryption standard, but refusing to release any information to prove its effectiveness. Given this situation, activists concerned with security should avoid Skype and turn to other providers that are compatible with Zfone. The current, beta version of Zfone supports software VoIP clients such as X-Lite (www.xten.com), Gizmo (www.gizmoproject.com), and SJphone (www.sjlabs.com), and does not support hardware devices, such as VoIP routers, that are used to connect analog telephones to VoIP networks. This means that until a future release of Zfone adds additional capabilities, you can only make and receive calls on your computer.

 

VoIP Service Providers

Security is clearly not the only issue in choosing a VoIP service provider. Cost, and the availability of other features will also be major factors. Besides Skype, which is not recommended because of its unwillingness to prove the efficiency of its encryption, other major providers include Vonage, CallVantage (from AT &T), and VoiceWing (from Verizon). For a good guide to choosing a provider, see www.whichvoip.com/voip/articles/how_to_select_a_service_provider.htm.

 

 

Facsimile Transmission (Fax)

Fax technology has been around for awhile, but recently, there has been an explosion of providers offering free or low-cost services that allow users to send faxes via the internet. Options and pricing plans vary dramatically, but one site (www.faxprices.com) offers an automated tool that will suggest which service best suits the needs you describe. A number of companies even offer fax services that can integrate with your web site. Many large activist organizations, such as Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org) utilize this technology, which allows site visitors to fill out a form on the site that will automatically generate a fax to a targeted number, such as the office of a corporate CEO. Providers of this service include Data on Call (www.dataoncall.com), MyFax.com (www.myfax.com) and Venali (www.venali.com).