LifeSec
From the first days I taught Operations Security (OPSEC) for the Inter-Agency OPSEC Support Staff, selling the idea of OPSEC was hard. People saw it as another chore: try to remember your list of critical information and don't talk about it. Yawn…
But the military and Intel Agencies take this very seriously Because seemingly unimportant information that is shared carelessly is dangerous.
For example, during the Vietnam war, the US military inadvertently leaked their plans to the Viet Cong spy network by having their planes visibly on the runway with the supplies staged nearby.
In a more modern example, reporters in the 90's discovered that they could predict major world-events based on the number of late-night pizza delivered to the Pentagon and other key agencies – a phenomenon now playfully referred to as "the pizza meter".
Basically, by operating in the open with no care for who was watching and what they might learn, US forces suffered data leaks of their own making. But who cares about the government, right? Why should regular people should care?
The crime of disbelief
Do you believe in Zeus and Poseidon? Do you legitimately believe they're real and must be respected and feared? If not, you are a non-believer… just like the rest of us. There are many major religions and branches and we are all non-believers to one or the other… and that shouldn't be anyone's business or concern. But not everyone agrees.
Trigger warning: violence, death
I was raised Christian, but learned early that there are "right kinds" and "wrong kinds". Catholics, Baptists, and others who claim to have the same beliefs, but will still argue and judge each other. It's one reason separation of church and state is so important – even if people could agree on the religion, there's just too much disagreement about details.
Luckily, brave people like Madalyn Murray O'Hair advocated against forced prayer and Bible readings in public schools as early as the 60's. Through a lifetime of court cases and advocacy, she made schools a safe place for those of a different denomination, a different religion, or no religion at all.
A 2017 Netflix special details O’Hair’s life, her struggles, her victories, and (ultimately) her kidnapping and brutal murder in 1995. By making an effort to make the USA more respectful and inclusive for people of different beliefs, she, her son, and granddaughter paid the ultimate price.
The crime of being "girly"
Trigger warning: suicide, disability, children
In 2014, 11 year old Michael Morales liked cartoons. But his school bullies decided his recent favorite was the "wrong kind" of cartoon and made his life hell. For violating gender norms and expectations, he faced abuse so severe, that he attempted suicide. Though unsuccessful, he was left in a catatonic state from the attempt and tragically passed away seven years later. All for his "crime" of liking a so-called "girl's cartoon".
The crime of freedom
Trigger warning: children, attempted murder
In 2024, an American teenager from Lacey Washington refused to follow her family tradition of an arranged marriage to an older man. She ran away from home and sought help from the staff at her high school, but was caught and attacked by her father who tried to kill her. She only survived thanks to a Good Samaritan who was driving by, saw the attack, and intervened.
 |  | More than ever these days, it's become vitally important for vulnerable populations and advocates to learn how to speak without drawing undue attention from aggressors OR to be a 'hard target' if you do. |
In an ideal USA, bigots and abusers would face scorn, shame, and, most of all, repercussions for their hate. But at the whims of society and politics, they not only might escape any consequence; they may be cheered and applauded. Whatever our ideals, we have to live in reality and that means sometimes being judicious about the amount and kind of attention we draw to ourselves.
Bottom line, whether it's serial killers, child molesters, haters, abusers, creeps, or con artists; strangers or people you know – it's in your best interests to learn about risks and countermeasures so you can make an informed choice about sharing information.
But first a disclaimer!
LifeSec is NOT victim blaming!
It is risk management. For example, swimming in the deep ocean with bleeding bait strapped to your trunks is likely to attract predators and posting online carelessly is similar.
When participating and especially when being an activist/ally, it's important to have a good sense of the actual risks so you can make sensible choices. This isn't a judgement of anyone's courage or duty – it is about keeping people safe and letting them choose for themselves what that means.
Why bother?
When I worked for the Inter-agency OPSEC Support Staff, a co-worker shared the story of a military commander who didn't think they needed an OPSEC program. In his view, "we're careful so all that extra effort is a waste."
To prove the point, my co-worker looked up his public profile online. There he found a bit of background on the commander, his wife, and his kids. It also mentioned his oldest daughter was a student at the nearby University of Maryland.
Minutes later, he'd found the daughter's profile on Facebook where it listed several photos, details of her life, and her class schedule. He grabbed a camera, a buddy, and printout of the schedule and went down to the school.
At the expected time, she came out of the Chem building, crossed the quad, and then sat at a long bench to check her bag. My co-worker sat down on the other end of the bench and did a "V" sign while his buddy took the shot. Later, he tossed the photo down on the commander's desk and said, "THAT is why you need an OPSEC program."
The good news is that the commander didn't take it personally and implemented the program, but not everyone has a team to handle this stuff for them. And even if they did, trying to trying to stay aware of (and defend from) every new type of scam, hack, or trick is impossible. But giving up isn't the answer either. There needs to be a third option and that option is LifeSec.
Like a martial art, LifeSec is a lifestyle. Not a series of steps and processes, but a set of general rules to internalize and make part of your every day life. While this could never be 100%, adjusting your mentality about personal information has a much better chance of protecting you not just from the attacks of today, but whatever new con is waiting right around the corner.
First up, The Risk of Visibility.
Tags: Atheism, DoD, Families, LGBTQ, LifeSec, Online Safety, OPSEC, Personal Safety, Religious Freedom
