Party like it’s December 31st 1983

What is CryptoParty?

CryptoParty is a decentralized, global initiative to introduce basic tools for protecting privacy, anonymity and overall security on the Internet to the general public.

The idea was conceived in the wake of the Australian Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 and the reasoning is that laws like this are without substance when everybody encrypts their communication.

CryptoParties are neither commercially nor politically aligned, and free and open to attend for everyone as long as they live the following guiding principles:

Be excellent to each other

CryptoParties are environments where people feel welcome and safe to learn and teach no matter their background or level of expertise. All questions are relevant, all explanation shall be targeted at the person with least pre-knowledge.

This also means that any form of harassment or other behaviour that makes people uncomfortable has no place at CryptoParties. In our experience situations like these (as seldom as they occur) stem rather from social ineptitude than malice and can thus be resolved by making people aware of their behaviour and its effect on others, but in last consequence it is on the organizers of the CryptoParty to ask people to leave if they do not adhere to this very simple rule. Be excellent to each other. Awareness is key in this regard.

Do things

CryptoParties happen because people make them happen. The most amazing and unforeseen learning experiences happen because people make them happen. If you are uncertain if what you have in mind is on topic or if other people are interested as well: Propose it anyway and see what other people have to say. If you are too shy to propose to the whole room: Ask the person standing next to you first.

On a more global scale, there is a mailing list global@cryptoparty.is which is open for questions and discussion of all kind, as well as country and city-specific mailing lists and other resources which can be found on https://cryptoparty.in .

For a guide on how to organize CryptoParties please be referred to the chapter of the same name.