Code of Courage: A Comic About Digital Security for Activists

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This is a repost of the original page: https://peasec.de/2025/comic/

Code of Courage: A Comic About Digital Security for Activists

We are excited to announce the release of our comic, Code of Courage: A Comic About Digital Security for Activists. This project draws inspiration from the stories of resilience shared by over 90 activists from Myanmar, Colombia, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Cameroon (see e.g., Guntrum 2024 & Guntrum and Reuter 2024). The comic addresses the challenges of technology-facilitated violence and provides strategies to enhance privacy and security. While it offers general guidance, we acknowledge that security is deeply personal, influenced by unique circumstances and constantly evolving risks. Our hope is to spark meaningful conversations and raise awareness, while honoring the expertise of activists who navigate these challenges daily. A heartfelt thanks to the interviewees for sharing their invaluable insights, to Charikleia Livani and Franziska Schraut for their brilliant ideas and illustrations, and to Julian Lawrence for his exceptional guidance and support. Without you the comic would not have been possible!

A new interactive version of the comic is now available at: codeofcourage.dev.peasec.de. There, you can listen to the comic in Spanish, Russian, German, and English, and test your knowledge through short quizzes designed to make learning more engaging.

We encourage you to share the comic, explore new ideas it inspires, and localize or translate it. If you have any feedback, suggestions, or concerns, feel free to reach out to Laura Guntrum at guntrum@peasec.tu-darmstadt.de. Additionally, let us know if you’re interested in acquiring the design files. The comic is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). The comic was already presented and distributed at RightsCon 2025, a major international summit on human rights in the digital age, which was held in Taiwan and the Night of Libraries at PRIF (Frankfurt, Germany).

What is the comic about?

A story of activism, digital courage, and resilience.

Follow four friends as they face surveillance, threats, and censorship—yet stay strong through knowledge, adaptability, and solidarity.

Alex, Sarah, Maria, and Daniel are four friends deeply committed to human rights activism in a country facing rising authoritarianism. As they organize protests and use social media to spread awareness, they’re met with powerful digital threats: internet shutdowns, account hacking, surveillance, and intimidation. When Daniel is arrested, the danger becomes painfully real for the group.

Still, the others don’t give up. Alex, Sarah, and Maria grow more determined. They start learning how to protect themselves: improving their digital security, understanding what information could be used against them, and identifying who might be behind the attacks. They realise that not every app or tool is safe. Some can attract attention even if they are secure. They learn to balance visibility and protection, constantly adapting their strategies and learning how to stay one step ahead.

The comic shows that by sharing knowledge, supporting each other, and adapting fast, activists can keep their voices strong—even under oppression. With courage and teamwork, they prove that the fight for justice can go on. ✊🕊️

🌍 Our comic on digital security is now available in multiple languages!

Interactive Platform

An online version featuring audio narration in multiple languages and educational quizzes is available at codeofcourage.dev.peasec.de.

Publication Details

  • Authors: Charikleia Livani, Franziska Schraut, Laura Guntrum, Julian Lawrence
  • Year: 2025
  • Publisher: Universität Darmstadt
  • DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00029108

Funding

This work was supported by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through the TraCe research center and the ATHENE cybersecurity initiative.

Supporting Resources

Curated digital security resources: