I like this article on the topic: The Diminishing Power of Protests: A Call for Activism Redefined – The Science Survey , especially this paragraph:
“Street demonstrations remain vital, of course, but they must be part of a broader effort that includes lobbying, community organizing, and policy advocacy. Protests should be the starting point, not the endpoint. For instance, economic tools such as boycotts and divestment campaigns can be powerful, forcing institutions to confront the financial consequences of inaction. “
I like your references to EFF. The effective thing about organisations like EFF, NYOB, etc., is that they have a legal team that will challenge decisions in court. Legislation is where real change happens.
Similar to the grassroots activities you list. Hosting a talk about why digital privacy matters is likely going to have a small audience, the choir of the church. Something like that is better placed in school, for example. When I was still teaching high school, I would show every class how to change their search engine at the start of each year. But setting up a repair cafe to install Linux is a real act. I’ve noticed that some thrift stores install Linux on every laptop they sell.
In the years I’ve been writing The Privacy Dad and using privacy tools, I have yet to meet ONE other person in real life who uses, for example, a custom ROM, or runs Linux desktop on their devices.