What They Needed #
In 1999 , activists organizing around global justice issues faced a problem: the communication tools available to them were controlled by corporations that didn’t share their values—and might hand over their data to authorities.
Email providers could read your messages. Chat services logged everything. There was no guarantee that the tools you used to organize wouldn’t be used against you.
A small group of technologists and activists asked: what if movements had their own infrastructure?
What They Built #
They created Riseup—a technology collective providing secure communication tools for activists and organizations working toward social change.
For over two decades, Riseup has offered:
- Email with strong privacy protections
- Mailing lists for organizing
- VPN services for secure browsing
- Chat and collaboration tools
- Educational resources on digital security
All of it free. All of it funded by donations. All of it run by a small collective committed to movement security.
The infrastructure runs on open source software throughout—not because it’s trendy, but because it’s the only way to ensure the tools actually do what they claim.
What Happened #
Riseup now serves millions of users across the globe.
Their email service alone has hundreds of thousands of accounts . Their mailing lists host discussions for countless organizations. Their VPN protects activists in countries where surveillance is a matter of life and death.
What users say:
“Riseup has been there for every movement I’ve been part of for twenty years.”
“When we needed to communicate securely, Riseup was the answer. It still is.”
“They’ve never sold us out. Not once. That’s rare.”
Riseup has faced legal pressure, government requests, and attempts to compromise their systems. They’ve navigated all of it while maintaining their commitment to user privacy—including responding to FBI warrants by implementing encrypted storage so they could never again hand over useful data.
What They Learned #
Sustainability comes from community. Riseup runs on donations from the people who use it. No venture capital, no advertising, no corporate sponsors with strings attached. The community funds what the community needs.
Trust is built over decades. Anyone can claim to protect privacy. Riseup has proven it through twenty-five years of operation, including real tests under pressure. That track record matters.
Small teams can serve millions. Riseup operates with a tiny collective—far smaller than you’d expect for their scale. Focused mission, clear values, and efficient infrastructure make it possible.
Open source is non-negotiable. For security-critical infrastructure, you can’t trust what you can’t verify. Open source isn’t just a preference—it’s a requirement for the kind of trust movements need.
Infrastructure is political. The tools movements use shape what movements can do. Owning your infrastructure means your capabilities aren’t dependent on corporations or governments that might not share your goals.
What This Means for You #
If you’re part of a movement, an organization, or a community that needs secure communications, you have options beyond corporate providers.
Riseup is one model. Others exist:
- Disroot offers similar services with a cooperative structure
- Autistici/Inventati serves activists in Europe
- May First Movement Technology operates as a membership organization
The broader lesson: movements can build and maintain their own infrastructure. It takes commitment, resources, and technical capacity—but it’s possible, and it’s been done.
If your community has the capacity, you might consider what infrastructure you could provide for yourselves and others.
Learn more: riseup.net
For twenty-five years, Riseup has quietly kept movements connected and secure. That’s what infrastructure looks like when it’s built for people, not profit.