BART officials block cellphones for 3 hours to stop protest!

[zzzz]

Thursday Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officials turned off 4 cellphone towers in an attempt to disrupt a possible protest that never occurred. Of course all the commuters who were working on their computers and those who were on the phone and passed through this area lost reception because of the action by BART.

Does this set a precedent for future actions by government authorities? It appears their justification was because the suspected protest would have been illegal so the cut off was legal.

Lets say a protest is called for and it is illegal in say, Oakland downtown. Can the city government shut down all communication to prevent the protest because the protest is illegal? It appears that it may be a gray area here and if we are not careful our freedom of communicating with others may be very fragile in the name of law and order or security. Didn't the Egyptians do the same thing?




SF transit blocks cellphones to hinder protest - HughesNet

 

[California Girl]

That is an abuse of power.

 

[MeBelle]

"The move was made after BART learned that protesters planned to use mobile devices to coordinate a demonstration on train platforms."

Were they planning a flash mob?
WTH?

 

[zzzz]

"The move was made after BART learned that protesters planned to use mobile devices to coordinate a demonstration on train platforms."

Were they planning a flash mob?
WTH?

That is what I was thinking. If that was what was planned then the move worked. I am just worried about the consequences and future use or abuse of this power.

 

[MeBelle]

"The move was made after BART learned that protesters planned to use mobile devices to coordinate a demonstration on train platforms."

Were they planning a flash mob?
WTH?

That is what I was thinking. If that was what was planned then the move worked. I am just worried about the consequences and future use or abuse of this power.

I agree with the possible abuse of power.

Flash mobs are not as much fun as they used to be either.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Thursday Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officials turned off 4 cellphone towers in an attempt to disrupt a possible protest that never occurred. Of course all the commuters who were working on their computers and those who were on the phone and passed through this area lost reception because of the action by BART.

Does this set a precedent for future actions by government authorities? It appears their justification was because the suspected protest would have been illegal so the cut off was legal.

Lets say a protest is called for and it is illegal in say, Oakland downtown. Can the city government shut down all communication to prevent the protest because the protest is illegal? It appears that it may be a gray area here and if we are not careful our freedom of communicating with others may be very fragile in the name of law and order or security. Didn't the Egyptians do the same thing?




SF transit blocks cellphones to hinder protest - HughesNet

I hope everyone who was in that station during that time sues them.

 

[Tank]

They are trying to stop the violent black flash mobs

 

[syrenn]

FCC regulations prohibit the interference of transmissions or anything that could be considered "jamming"


BART is NOT in violation of that law. What BART did was disable it's installed enhancements that help with the penetration of signal throughout its underground and underwater tubes. The enhancements are privately owned and installed enhancements of which BART has 100% control over. It is an enhancement that is provided by BART, as a convenience to its customers.



As far i am concerned..... good for BART. Fuck the idiot protesters.

 

[Trajan]

FCC regulations prohibit the interference of transmissions or anything that could be considered "jamming"


BART is NOT in violation of that law. What BART did was disable it's installed enhancements that help with the penetration of signal throughout its underground and underwater tubes. The enhancements are privately owned and installed enhancements of which BART has 100% control over. It is an enhancement that is provided by BART, as a convenience to its customers.



As far i am concerned..... good for BART. Fuck the idiot protesters.

thats very fine as in very thin argument, but it sounds like you are right, as to the equipment.

Of course the irony is, delectable ....... the police state slippery slope, as practiced by the Bay Area Oblast blanket style shutting down, of truth to power 'dissent'......luv it..