The Venezuelan people have developed a network of information sharing and resistance in the face of censorship, disinformation, and repression. They use digital tools to circumvent government controls and access reliable news sources, often through virtual private networks (VPNs) or by using alternative platforms like Signal, YouTube, TikTok, and Telegram.
After the US military attack on January 3, a group of Venezuelan journalists, some in exile and others within the country, came together to broadcast minute-by-minute coverage of the event on YouTube. This virtual newsroom provided the first real-time information to Venezuelans, contradicting government-controlled media outlets that were broadcasting misleading or false reports.
The Venezuelan people's ability to access and share information is threatened by government-imposed internet restrictions, which have blocked independent media outlets and limited access to reliable sources of news. The National Assembly's decree declaring a state of external emergency suspended public demonstrations and allowed for the arrest of anyone who promotes or supports "the armed attack by the United States against the Republic."
In response to these measures, Venezuelans began using digital tools as a means of self-regulation to protect themselves from surveillance and repression. They adopted practices such as regularly updating their social media accounts with coded messages or changing their device settings to avoid detection.
The current state of surveillance in Venezuela remains uncertain under the democratic transition that the United States has promised. While 18 journalists were released from prison, colectivos and police continue to detain people after checking their cell phones, sometimes even when they don't have any "problematic" content.
After the US military attack on January 3, a group of Venezuelan journalists, some in exile and others within the country, came together to broadcast minute-by-minute coverage of the event on YouTube. This virtual newsroom provided the first real-time information to Venezuelans, contradicting government-controlled media outlets that were broadcasting misleading or false reports.
The Venezuelan people's ability to access and share information is threatened by government-imposed internet restrictions, which have blocked independent media outlets and limited access to reliable sources of news. The National Assembly's decree declaring a state of external emergency suspended public demonstrations and allowed for the arrest of anyone who promotes or supports "the armed attack by the United States against the Republic."
In response to these measures, Venezuelans began using digital tools as a means of self-regulation to protect themselves from surveillance and repression. They adopted practices such as regularly updating their social media accounts with coded messages or changing their device settings to avoid detection.
The current state of surveillance in Venezuela remains uncertain under the democratic transition that the United States has promised. While 18 journalists were released from prison, colectivos and police continue to detain people after checking their cell phones, sometimes even when they don't have any "problematic" content.
like whats going on in venezuela is straight outta a dystopian novel government is trying to control the narrative but the ppl are finding ways to fight back using digital tools its like they say when youre down, you gotta get creative 
and use those VPNs to access the truth meanwhile theres 18 journalists finally released from prison but still getting harassed by police for their online activity lol what a mess in venezuela
i feel like its kinda cool that they're using VPNs and signal and all those platforms to get info, but at the same time its so sad that they have to be that careful cuz of the goverment... what if they get caught tho? does anyone know how long this state of emergency is gonna last for? 
also, i wonder whats the deal w/ the colectivos and police detaining ppl just cuz they checked their phone 
. But at the same time, it's a bit concerning that the US military was involved in an attack on Venezuela in the first place... anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that this whole situation is super complex and there are no easy answers.
. Meanwhile these ppl are trying to make their own news and share it with each other using Signal & YouTube and all that jazz 
... and now they're just using digital tools as a way to stay one step ahead of each other? 
. I've been saying this for ages – you can't control the internet, but you can use it to your advantage 
.
. Those internet restrictions are definitely a threat to their freedom of expression and online safety 
. And honestly, I'm surprised the US military didn't just leave Venezuela alone after that attack... I mean, do you really want to mess with a nation that's already got its people fighting for what's right? 
Like, they're using VPNs and Signal to stay safe, and changing their social media posts to avoid getting caught 
This is like a real-life video game, where ppl are fighting for freedom of info! 
Do people in Venezuela really use these digital tools to send coded messages? How does that work exactly? 
. I mean, creating a virtual newsroom on YouTube and sharing real-time info is just genius 
. The internet restrictions are still super restrictive, and people are having a hard time accessing reliable news sources 
. I mean, who needs 18 journalists released from prison when there's still so much work to be done? 
. It's like, they're using digital tools as a means of self-regulation, which is just so cool 
. It's wild that journalists can just whip up their own newsroom on YouTube without any gov't interference 
. The fact that they're using coded messages to avoid detection is like something out of a spy thriller 
. It's also sickening how the US military attack is still being used as an excuse for the gov't to crack down on dissent 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good game of "fake news" and "alternative facts"? 
It's not like it's getting in the way of their daily lives or anything... 