Ukraine Emergency: Posting and Zooming with Security in Mind

Many people are currently holding online meetings concerning the crisis in Ukraine, sharing information and prayer points about individuals or organisations in affected regions (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, elsewhere in Eurasia) on online calls or social media. It is critical to be aware and active concerning the security risks this may pose to individuals in the affected regions, as well as the need for privacy at this deeply traumatic time.

In some countries, the media is tightly controlled by the state and individuals may be subject to personal monitoring by security services. The consequences of speaking against one's country can be significant and long-lasting.

Even if individuals in affected regions are happy to share a greater level of detail than prescribed here, thus putting themselves at personal risk, IFES has a duty of care to ensure the safety of its staff, and so it is critical that the standards of security outlined below are maintained.

If you are posting on social media please do not:

• Use full names or name countries where individuals in affected regions are based; use ‘Eurasia’ instead.
• Do not identify national movements by name, except in the case of CCX Ukraine. Do not use the word IFES as an alternative identification (e.g. ‘IFES Russia’).
• Do not identify countries where IFES is active in Eurasia. Currently, Ukraine is an exception.
• Do not tag individuals based in affected regions on social media.
• Do not post anything on social media that suggests that people in Russia are praying for Ukraine; again, the security services monitor social media and there could be consequences.
• Do not make political statements as you share prayer points or other information.

If you are holding an online meeting:

Please be aware:

• That anyone in the meeting could make a recording on their own device.
• That anyone could join the meeting, including security services.
• That after the meeting, anyone could tag the individual in the affected region on social media.

To make your Zoom meeting more secure:

• Don’t share the meeting link publicly.
• When scheduling the meeting use the automatically generated ID.
• Change your settings to ensure that only the host can share their screen, and mute and unmute participants.
• Manage participants by requiring them to sign up to the meeting.
• Activate the waiting room to review participants before they join the call.

Please do not:

• Share recordings of online meetings.
• Share the video of the individual at risk; they should keep their camera off. Please consider sharing written prayer requests rather than interviewing individuals based in affected regions.