How we communicate
Our main communication tools are brought together on The Hub.
- Once on the Hub, you can see and connect with XR groups across the globe. This allows you to find, contact and work with others easily.
- The tools run entirely on servers powered by renewable energy (the internet is a big carbon polluter, producing 3.7% of global carbon emissions and rising).
- Our tools have more connectivity, features and control than most commercial equivalents.
- Commercial messaging platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp share data with the very governments we are challenging with our actions.
To get onto the Hub, you will need to be invited by the Tech Champion of your group (if you don’t know who that is, ask your internal coordinator).
After using commercial apps, our tools may initially take a little getting used to, but to help you find your way around we have the following trainings:
- New Comms Hub Guide (Rebel Toolkit)
- Getting on the Hub (Rebellion Academy)
- Mattermost Training (Rebellion Academy)
- Hub Training (Talks and Trainings) - every Thurs 6.30-7.30pm ask your coordinator for the zoom link
Our organising tools
Mattermost (our main platform for communication) - chat
- Replaces: WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack etc.
- communication either 1:1 or in groups.
- short conversations, announcements, questions and organising
- find channels for various groups across XR = directly message any rebel (if you know their handle)
UK Forums – longer discussions
- Replaces: message boards
- communication in groups
- longer discussion on a particular topic
- all comments in one place - follow the thread easily
Sometimes we start a conversation on Mattermost, then realise the thread is growing and so we’ll move it to the forum so that it doesn’t get lost.
UK Cloud Storage – private file storage
- Replaces: Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive etc (for files storage) Microsoft Office, Google docs etc (for files)
- creation and storage of team documents and files, slides, minutes, photos etc
- separate private folders for each group; sharing options
Hub circles – XR structure
- Will replace: Glassfrog (at the moment they are both used)
- interactive diagram of how XR is structured
- view and connect with the groups you are a member of plus all other XR UK groups (local groups, working groups, community groups etc)
- find who is in which role for any group and click to connect to them instantly (without needing to know their handle)
- see any mandate for a group or person (purpose and what they are responsible for)
Sometimes we use commercial platforms too (for particular purposes):
Signal
Many groups use Signal for planning Actions (some use Telegram instead.) Messages can be set to disappear within a particular time limit.
Telegram
As well as using Telegram for Actions, we have a New Rebels channel where people new to XR can get help, support and connections to help them find their way into XR. To access this, you need to attend a ‘Welcome to XR’ session (T&T).
Our news channels
1. …for talking to each other
UK Broadcasts We have two news channels which you can access via Telegram or Mattermost (broadcast only, no chat):
- Rebellion Broadcast: news about Actions (and trainings for Actions)
- Movement Broadcast: all other news
These are a great way of getting regular, concise and up to date news as it happens.
Inside XR: a short internal newsletter aimed mainly at coordinators of the central UK teams (although anyone can subscribe)
To unsubscribe from a newsletter, click the link at the bottom of it. Because we are a decentralised movement, different newsletters are sent from different places and you may need to unsubscribe more than once if you want everything to stop.
2. …for also talking to the public
Websites
Social media
Since the mainstream media refuse to cover the majority of our work, these channels are a vital way we share our message. We use social media to: share news about our actions, effects of our work and the work of others connect with each other and with people and organisations with power organise together in groups and create public events to share
See ‘Supporter Rebel’ for ways to make our social media posts more effective.
Our main, UK-level, social media channels:
- UK Facebook group
- Twitter: @XRebellionUK
- Instagram:@xrebellionuk
Local Groups and Community Groups often have their own social media accounts. Some of the larger ones have their own websites too.