The Hub

What is the Hub?

The Hub is the tool XR UK uses to connect lots of the programs (e.g. Mattermost and UK Forums) that rebels use to organise online. You can also watch this video for a general introduction to the Hub and its benefits and also view the slide presentation.

Why do we need it?

The Hub does some really important things:

The Hub also keeps track of the structure of all the XR groups that have joined (see My Groups). This is extremely useful because it makes it really easy to find the right people to talk to.

How do I join the Hub?

To join the Hub, you need to follow the steps described here.

Using the Hub: The Basics

This is the Hub home page. Here you can see links to many of XRUK's services. Click on any of the icons to go to them. Most browsers allow you to click while holding the Ctrl key to open the link in a new tab.

The grey area at the top contains links to training on the XR communication tools. If you already know all about the the subject, click "I'VE DONE THIS" and it will show you the next set of training. Once you have done them all, it will disappear (but you can get it back – there is a link at the very bottom of the page, if you scroll down).

Some of these icons only show if you are logged in to the Hub – click LOG IN in the top-right corner:

Admins will have extra options on this page, e.g. to invite other people to the Hub and XRUK's services.

Joining new XR groups

When you are invited to join the hub, or to join a new group on The Hub, you should get sent an email (check your spam folder if you can't find it). If you click on the link in the email, it will take you to a page that looks something like this:

Click the Create Hub Account button. You will see the following screen:

(If you are already on the Hub, some of this information will already be filled in.)

Notice the list of groups you have been invited to at the bottom of the screen. For each one, you can choose whether members of that group can see your email address and/or phone number. If you don't want to join one or more of the groups, you can choose not to accept the invite (by unticking the Accept box) – you will not be asked again (unless you are sent a new invite).

Simply fill in the form and click Confirm. You will be automatically added to the group(s) including all of its channels and forums.

It is also possible to accept your invites by clicking on Accept My Invites from the Hub home page.

Parts of the screen

  1. Hub logo – clicking here takes you back to the Hub Home Page
  2. Services – click here to go to the Services page
  3. Groups – click here to go to your Hub Groups
  4. Your menu – click here to drop down your menu (including your settings, help and logging out)
  5. Menu bar – all the options relevant to the current screen
  6. Menu bar overflow – if there isn't enough room on the screen for all the menu bar options, the extra ones will drop down if you click here
  7. Actions bar – all the options relevant to the current screen, e.g. Save or Delete

My Groups

You can see the groups you are in by clicking the My Groups tile:

Or select the GROUPS menu option:

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This brings up a list of Groups you are in. Click on ALL GROUPS at the top to see all the groups, even the ones you are not in. Click on a group to show the group in context.

This screen is showing the Digital Discussions Applications Team UK Working Group. It also shows the parent groups (1) – click on one to go to it.

The Hub Circles display shows the group's Roles (2), and any child groups (3). This has a full-screen button to make it larger and easier to navigate (4). To find your way about the structure, you can click on any group to go to it, or on the background to go up a level.

If you want to find another group, you can use the search button (5).

You can click the Filter button (6) to hide some of the detail, to make the diagram less busy. If you set a filter, it is remembered and used every time you open this view.

You can also display the groups in a Tree View (7) instead of the Circles Display.

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Click any of the grey bars on the left to reveal more information:

Secret Codeword

Click this icon to set a unique secret codeword to identify you. Then, if you want to communicate with XR (e.g. Arrestee Support) without revealing who you are to anyone listening, you can use the codeword. They can look it up on the Hub, and know who you are.

Only Arrestee Support, Hub Admins, and your Group Admins can see your codeword.

If you want to change your code word later, it is in Settings – click your name in the top-right corner to see the menu.

Your roles

Seeing all your Roles or Positions in all groups

Click on My Roles in the grey menu at the top of the GROUPS tab to see a list of all the roles you hold. There is a History option to show you all the changes to your role holding.

Viewing your individual roles or positions

Select your role from the list.

If you want to step back from the role, press "Step back from this role". If you want to step back from lots of roles in one go, see below.

You cannot add yourself to roles or positions – only your Group Admins can add people.

Your group can ask your Group Admin to create new roles/positions, or edit the mandates of existing ones.

Leaving a group

If you want to leave a group, click Leave Hub Group when looking at a group in the GROUPS tab. This will remove you from the Hub Group and from all the private areas belonging to that Hub Group. It will not remove you from public Mattermost channels and forums, but you can do this yourself in Mattermost and Forums respectively, if you wish.

Seeing your roles in a particular group

If you have one or more roles in a group, you can see them by clicking on Edit My Roles when looking at a group in the GROUPS tab. (See screenshot above).

This shows all your roles in the group:

Private against a role means that only members of that group can see that you hold that role. This is useful if it is a spicy role you don't want everyone to know about. You can change this (remember to click Save to save the change).

If you click the little red x against a role, then click Save, you will be removed from the role.

Stepping back from roles

Click on My Roles in the grey menu at the top of the GROUPS tab to see a list of all the roles you hold. Then click on Step Back From Roles.

This shows all your roles, all with Step Back ticked, and gives you the following options:

Bear in mind the following:

  1. Make sure only those roles you are stepping back from are ticked – untick the ones you want to remain in.
  2. If someone else has agreed to take on these roles, select that person from the drop-down list in Replacement User.
  3. If you want to remain in the role for a while (e.g. to train your replacement), leave Remove from Role unticked. But if you want to step back straight away, tick it.
  4. If you have Inviter or Group Admin permission in any of these groups, tick Remove Group Permissions to remove those permissions.
  5. If you are stepping back from the groups altogether, tick Remove From Hub Group.

Then click Save.

Updating your settings

Your menu

Settings

This form lets you change your name [this means your username. The Login is your 'handle' on Mattermost], preferred pronouns, secret codeword, phone number and external contact.

Normally, people who wish to contact you about XR business will send you a message on Mattermost. It is therefore important that you check Mattermost regularly, particularly if you hold a role in a group, otherwise, you may miss these messages. If you really can't do that, then please put some other means of contacting you in the External Contact box, so people can get in touch. Note that this contact information is available to everyone on the Hub (i.e. bona fide verified XR members, not the general public).

Changing/Updating Login and Email across all our services

If it is unable to do so, it will tell you which ones went wrong. The main reasons for this happening are:

If any errors occur, you can go back to My Settings and try different details.

Note: It is not possible to update a name [username] on UK Cloud. If you change your name the Hub deletes your old user record, creates a new one and then joins it to the same groups as the former. This is usually fine, but if someone shared something [file or folder] with you by name or you created personal calendars, decks or forms, they will be lost.

Change my password

This is reached from Settings. Here, you can change your password on the Hub only. To change your password elsewhere, you need to use the facilities on each other service.

Deactivate me

This is reached from Settings. Here, you can deactivate your login – e.g. if you have been arrested and/or your phone has been seized. You won't be able to log in to the Hub, Forums, Cloud or Mattermost until you get your Group Admin to reactivate you.

Logout

This lets you log off, e.g. if you are using a shared computer and don't want the next person to be able to access your Hub account. Note this only logs you out of the Hub, and not from the individual services which you may have open in other tabs or apps.

Adding additional contact info to groups on the Hub

On the Hub, you can add public contact details so that users can stay connected with your group, including a "Public Contact Email", Facebook Groups, Twitter accounts, etc. Most of the information is public (published to anyone on the Internet), but if people want to keep information (like Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp channels) to Hub members only, they should add it in External Contact Info (at the bottom of the edit screen).

To add this contact information, you have to be a Group Admin of the relevant group (otherwise the relevant box won't appear). On the Hub, select the group you are looking to add contact info to and click Edit Contact Info to bring up the editing screen. You can add public contact details on this screen.

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Every Hub Group (including local groups) that doesn't check Mattermost regularly should also add external contact info to their Group Info/Contact tab on the Hub. This is so that people on the Hub can contact the group. In the box at the bottom of the page (External Contact Info), you can add contact info such as WhatsApp and Signal details.

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Search for another rebel

My Contacts

You can see a list of everyone who is in one the groups you are in by clicking the My Contacts tile on The Hub homepage:

Or select MY CONTACTS from the Groups screen. That shows this screen:

You can only see people's email address and/or phone number if they have chosen to show that to members of a group you are in. You can click on a link to message or email someone, or click elsewhere on the person's entry to see more detail:

You can see this person hasn't used Mattermost for a while, but they have put in an External Contact link, so probably best to use that to contact them.

Problems getting on the Hub

Listed below are several of the most common problems people have when they sign up to the Hub. If you are still having problems after reading this document, you should ask your Group Admin for help.

It says that an account with my username already exists

Watch this support video

If there is already an account on Mattermost with the same username that you have chosen, you will see this screen:

If you know you do not have an account on Mattermost, it just means you have chosen the same login name as someone else – click Try a different name to go back to the form, so you can try a different login name.

If you do have a Mattermost account under this name, click This is my Mattermost account to link the Hub to this account. If you are not already logged in to Mattermost in your browser, Mattermost will ask you to log in – you must use your Mattermost password here, which may be different to the one you just entered for the Hub: RUJimage4.png
Mattermost will ask you to allow access:

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It says that I already have a Mattermost account

If there is already an account on Mattermost with the same email address as your Hub one, you will see this screen:

You need to press the Continue button to link the Hub to this account.

I cannot remember my Mattermost password

If you have forgotten your Mattermost password, there is a password reset button, which will send you an email to reset your password.

It says my Mattermost account has not been validated

When your Mattermost account is first created, Mattermost will send you a verification email. You must click on the link in the email to validate your account. If you don't get the email, look in your junk email. If it is not there, there is a button to resend the verification email.

Compromised account procedure

All rebels with an account on the UK Hub, UK Forum, Global Mattermost and UK Cloud – which gives them access to material that should not fall into unfriendly hands, or that may compromise the legal position of themselves or others, for example, through providing evidence for conspiracy charges – need to be aware of these procedures.

Precautions to take when access to an account Is compromised

The steps below allow for the rapid temporary suspension of a compromised account on all XRUK services, to be followed either by reinstatement of the accounts with fresh passwords, or permanent deletion of the account as appropriate.

  1. Set up, on the UK Hub, a secret codeword or phrase which you can easily remember and speak without having to spell it out, and that does not have ambiguous spelling.

    • Log in on the UK Hub and click on the 'Set My Codeword' icon.

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    • Enter your phrase or word in the box.

    • Once set, you can find and change your codeword by clicking on the Admin button and navigating to 'My Settings'.


  1. Follow the advice available through the links below to secure any device that you use to access XR services and email (these were written for a previous Rebellion but are still relevant):

    Laptop Security Guide

    Phone Security Guide

    This should include any desktop devices you may leave at home that could be subject to a search warrant and seizure in your absence.

    There is not yet a specific general guide to securing desktop devices against seizure – much of the laptop advice applies. Don't forget any memory sticks or CD/disc backups you may have lying around.


  1. DO NOT take any device, which has general access to your Hub accounts, into an arrestable situation! Please use a 'burner' phone and only install and use secure apps on it. See the Phone Security Guide above.

  1. If you have operational reasons for needing access to XR online services (other than Signal and Telegram and areas like the public website that do not require a login and can be viewed by anyone), you must be especially careful to ensure that your device is secure and that you don't lose it.

Loss of Your Device – Arrest, Loss or Confiscation

  1. If you are arrested, tell your secret codeword to Back Office (Arrestee Watch) or a friend, ideally before your arrest, or if you are arrested without warning, as soon as possible afterwards (e.g. use one of your custody calls to tell Back Office).

  2. If you lose your device, or if it is confiscated by the authorities, immediately let your Group Admin or Interal/External Coordinator know, so that they can inform the Hub Admin team.

  3. The Back Office Volunteer, your Group Admin or Hub Admin on being told your secret phrase and that you have been arrested, or had a device(s) confiscated, will cross-check the secret codeword and if it is valid, immediately lock all of your accounts – the Hub, Forum, Mattermost and Cloud – until you are cleared. For Group Admins, here is how to deactivate and reactivate someone.

Restoring Your Hub Accounts

  1. When you are released, your accounts can be restored. You will need to contact your Group's Coordinator(s) and/or Group Admin for them to restore your account.
  2. If any of your devices are lost or remain with the authorities, you will need to change the email address you use for the Hub. This change must be done before your account is restored and it is recommended that you change your email even if your devices have been returned. Your new email address should be given to the Hub Admin via your Hub Group Coordinator/Group Admin. A new Hub Password will also be issued, and you should subsequently change this. Once the new email has been registered and the Hub account restored, you will be able to access all of your Hub Group information as before.
  3. If you are a member of Mattermost channels that the Hub does not know about, your membership of those channels will not be restored automatically. You will need to rejoin these by asking people in them to invite you again.

Non-Hub Services

  1. The above ONLY applies to your Hub, UK Forum, Mattermost, UK Cloud and Vault accounts. If you have administrator or moderator access to any service that gives you visibility of others' account details or activity, then it is essential that you follow a similar procedure for those services as well.

  2. For social media accounts, it is worth having a trusted close friend/partner who knows your password and can be instructed to change the password immediately should they hear you have been arrested.