Organizing on different platforms: Pros and cons: Difference between revisions

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== Zoom ==
== Zoom ==
Easy to use. Don't require an account to join a meeting. Can hold mass calls.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 14.4px;"
|- style="height: 40px;"
| style="width: 820.734px; background-color: #bb91b7; height: 40px;" | '''Pros'''
| style="width: 794.266px; background-color: #bb91b7;" | '''Cons'''
|- style="height: 161px;"
| style="width: 820.734px; height: 161px;" |
 
*Easy to use.
*Doesn't require an account to join a meeting.
*Can hold large calls.
*Paid versions can activate closed captions.
| style="width: 794.266px;" |
 
*Kicks free users off meeting at 40 minutes; need to restart meeting to continue.
|}


== Wire ==
== Wire ==

Revision as of 15:17, 12 September 2023

The following page responds to a request asking for advice on switching organizing platforms. This question has also been raised by others around the world to meet various activist needs. The original request to the HUB was regarding intergenerational challenges when choosing a platform, thus, lived experience is welcomed to improve this page. This page compiles content on general organizing platforms, platforms for online documentation and platforms for meeting online.

Organizing platforms

Whats app

Suggested uses:

Pros Cons


Signal

Suggested uses:

  • Good for organizing arrestable actions, or actions that involve sensitive information, or are higher risk for those involved (see our page on legal information or activists for more on risk assessment)
  • Quick, secure messaging while an action is happening.
Pros Cons
  • Secure, open-sourced, end-to-end encryption.
  • Can be used to hold secure phone calls with up to 40 people


Email/protonmail

Suggested uses:

  • Outreach to those outside your regular membership (i.e. those not involved in organizing directly, but that show up to your actions and/or support your group to a less frequent/engaged extent).
  • Suggest switching to protonmail if your group is organizing arrestable actions, or actions that involve sensitive information, or are higher risk for those involved (see our page on legal information or activists for more on risk assessment)
Pros Cons


  • Not good for frequent communication; one continuous chat is less organized.
  • Not good for multiple people to communicate with one another; messages get lost and threads become disorganized.

Facebook messanger

Suggested uses:

  • Organizing that requires less frequent communication (i.e. meeting reminders, sharing webinars/training opportunities)
Pros Cons
  • Can see people's pictures when messaging; gives a friendly feeling
  • Easy to reply to people's messages directly
  • Can mute notifications as needed
  • Need a facebook account to join a chat
  • Not good for frequent communication; one continuous chat is less organized.

Discord

Suggested uses:

Pros Cons

Slack

Suggested uses:

  • When working in multiple working groups, or if you have many different parts involved in your structure (i.e. social media, wellness, outreach etc)
Pros Cons
  • Keeps multiple chats organized (rather than one continuous thread)
  • Fees involved for use if you'd like messages stored for more than 90 days.

Keybase

Suggested uses:

  • Organizing arrestable actions, or actions that involve sensitive information, or are higher risk for those involved (see our page on legal information or activists for more on risk assessment)
  • When working in multiple working groups, or if you have many different parts involved in your structure (i.e. social media, wellness, outreach etc).
  • Alternative to keybase is Element (fees involved in use)
Pros Cons




Tools for online documentation

Google drive

Suggested uses:

  • For hosting information that does not need to be kept secure
Pros Cons

Cryptpad

Suggested uses:

  • For hosting information that should be kept secure 
  • Alternative to cryptpad is Skiff (fewer document types than cryptpad)
Pros Cons
  • Open-source, end-to-end encrypted


Tools for meeting online

Zoom

Pros Cons
  • Easy to use.
  • Doesn't require an account to join a meeting.
  • Can hold large calls.
  • Paid versions can activate closed captions.
  • Kicks free users off meeting at 40 minutes; need to restart meeting to continue.

Wire

Secure video conferencing. Also lets you communicate and share files; all-in-one collaboration tool.

Jitsi

Secure video conferencing.

Can be finicky. 
If you have any suggested revisions or additional resources to share related to the above content, please email them to kenzie@lehub.ca.


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