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We're Jammin', Hope You Like Jammin' Too
theodp writes "Slate ponders whether a climate where anything can be photographed or surreptitiously recorded means the once-esoteric world of cell-phone jamming will become mainstream. Sites now offer portable cell-phone jammers that can provide you with the same kind of security bubbles used to thwart industrial spies, hostage-takers and bomb detonators. While actively jamming a cell-phone signal is illegal in the US, a distributor reports most of his sales go to US customers, including universities which use the technology to stop students from diddling away on phones during lectures."
What? Wouldn't blocking the cell phone signal only prevent the person from sending the picture off? The photograph could still be taken and simply sent later, once the cell phone is away from the jamming signal, right?
While I'm tempted to use this to silence those inconsiderate bastards in the movie theaters, there is a LOT of risk involved. How would you feel if, because of your jamming, someone didn't get an important emergency phone call and got fired / dumped / beaten senseless / etc.? If something were to happen because they didn't get a call, and it was found out that you were jamming the phone, could you be held liable for any proven damages?
Regardless of how rude it is for people to be talking on cell phones anywhere and everywhere, you have no right to decide for yourself, "They shouldn't be talking, so I'll stop them."
If people like you actually turned off your freaking phones in theatres and at school, maybe jammers as described in the article wouldn't need to exist...
Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
Sometimes, though, cell phones are absolutely necessary - my wife is pregnant, right? What happens if I'm at a movie or at school when she goes into labour? Not only would she be royally pissed off once I actually got out of the movie/class (some classes are 3 hours long), but what happens if something went wrong?
Regulation isn't going to help. Jammers like these aren't going to help. What would help is people all punching out a guy with a live cell phone in a theatre if it wasn't a critical call. Let social engineering do the work.
Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
Here's another page on the same "cellphone-like" product.
I don't agree with random people able to jam the phone signal. However, it makes sense for certain places, like movie theaters, banks, etc, although they should clearly have a sign saying "Warning: Cellphone signal jamming inside the building" or something.
If a criminal is attacking you right now a cell phone is mostly useful as a second-rate bludgeon. Or maybe, with phones getting so small these days, you could get him to swallow it and use it as a tracking device :-/
But being able to call emergency services can be very important in the phases leading up to an attack. It can also be helpful for witnesses who can't get physically involved to summon the police or ambulance. This changes all that.
I see it as most frightening in cases where the attacker has a lot personally invested in the crime. The abusive ex. The stalker. The dangerously obsessed. In those cases, where the defender needs every available resource, the sudden disappearance of an important tool can be a matter of life and death. We've already seen stalkers use GPS transponders to track their ex girlfriends' cars. So there are at least a few geeks gone bad out there.
I'm afraid I don't have any solutions. These things are already illegal to use. Any thoughts on what a prospective victim or the authorities can do? And yes, I've already factored in "Have a gun." It's not an option for everyone. It is only part of the soluation when it is.
The man who never alters his opinion is like the stagnant water and breeds Reptiles of the Mind -- William Blake
A I stated in another reply, I think the FCC should allocate a courtesy zone signal, but not jamming.
Letter To Iran
I will use my psychic mind reading powers to say that you must be atleast 35.
How come every generation of old people feels the need to criticize every new technology that comes around by mis-characterizing it?
I have no interest in being on an electronic leash, forced to be accountable to someone - somewhere
If you put yourself in a situation where you're "on an electronic leash", then that's your fault. Do you realize that you don't have to answer a cell phone whenever it rings? It's pretty nifty technology, you have to press a button to answer it.
If you say that the advantages of having a cell phone aren't worth it for you, that's fine. But the only real disadvantage is how much it costs and having to carry it in your pocket. The whole leash thing simply tells me something about your relationship with the would-be leash-holder.
I imagine some older folks didn't like the telephone when it came out - I refuse to be on a leash when I'm at home, forced to be accountable to someone - somewhere.
I will use my psychic mind reading powers to say that you must be atleast 35.
Heheh... Nope, but I'm old beyond my years.
How come every generation of old people feels the need to criticize every new technology that comes around by mis-characterizing it?Actually, I love technology; my career choices undoubtedly reflect that.
If you put yourself in a situation where you're "on an electronic leash", then that's your fault. Do you realize that you don't have to answer a cell phone whenever it rings? It's pretty nifty technology, you have to press a button to answer it.I know. But the reality is that when the phone rings, you feel obliged to answer it. Then, pretty soon, it's a nuisance and makes you feel guilty.
Of course, you can turn off the ringer. Then, the problem becomes, "Huh-NEEEEEEE... Why didn't you answer the phone when I called? What were you doing?"
People become accustomed to being able to reach you and talk to you about every stupid little thing that happens in their lives.
For the very same reason I eschew land-line telephones or ICQ and other messaging systems, and like e-mail: It's a constant interruption. With e-mail, on the other hand, the sender can send the message when it's convenient for them. I can then read it and reply when it's convenient for me. Telephones, in particular cellphones, require it to be convenient for both parties to talk at the same time.
If you say that the advantages of having a cell phone aren't worth it for you, that's fine. But the only real disadvantage is how much it costs and having to carry it in your pocket. The whole leash thing simply tells me something about your relationship with the would-be leash-holder.Okay. Try this. Turn off your cellphone for a week. Tell me what you get from your friends. "I tried to call you, but you didn't answer." Endlessly. You've built up the expectation that you will be available to discuss all sorts of stupid things, including the weather, any time they're feeling bored in the lineup at the grocery store.
My friends know how I feel about cellphones, and telephones in general. We communicate by e-mail. We arrange to get together to drink beer by e-mail.
I imagine some older folks didn't like the telephone when it came out - I refuse to be on a leash when I'm at home, forced to be accountable to someone - somewhere.For sure. But there's still the escape with a regular telephone. If you don't answer your land line, they assume that you're out. If you don't answer your cellphone - which, by tradition, is always with you - then they assume that you're ignoring them.
Fire and Meat. Yummy.
Not terrible arguments, but I still maintain you're putting yourself in that situation. Tell your wife and friends:
"Look... I don't feel like answering my phone all the time, and I don't always have it on me anyway. Leave a message."
I know when I call someone's cell phone and they don't answer, I assume they don't have it on them or they're in an area where they don't get service.
Wow, it's a miracle anyone was ever born before cell phones were invented!
It's obvious that the father's availability or knowledge of the birth has no effect on whether or not it happens, but it does have a huge impact on the experience for both mother and father. In centuries past, the father typically just didn't know until he came home from work. In decades past, he only knew if he was in a location where he could be reached by phone. Today, he can be notified virtually anywhere.
That's a *good* thing, a serious, technology-provided, quality of life improvement.
When my wife started labor with my youngest child, she was at home in Utah and I was leading some meetings for a client in southern California. Thanks to modern technology, I didn't miss it.
She called my cell on her way to the hospital. When my phone vibrated, caller ID told me who it was, so I interrupted my presentation to take the call, then announced that my wife was in labor, I was leaving and we would have to reschedule. In the rental car, the NeverLost system guided me to the airport so I didn't have to juggle maps, freeing me to call the airline to change my plane reservation. At the airport there were long lines at the counter, but I used the kiosk to print my boarding pass and head to the plane (which, fortuitously, was leaving 20 minutes later, direct to SLC). I got to the hospital 2 hours and 30 minutes after she called and two hours before my son was born.
Without the cellphone, I would probably not have known she was in labor until we broke for lunch, three hours after I got the call.
I got to hold my wife's hand during the labor and delivery, got to cut the umbilical cord and be the first to hold my newborn son, got to take pictures of him when he was less than 60 seconds old and got to spend time with him and my wife together, shortly after the birth, and before the hordes of relatives (and my other kids) descended upon us.
That sort of thing is well worth the occasional interrupted class/meeting/movie/whatever. People who don't turn off their phones, or use quiet mode, are annoying, but their lack of manners is no reason to penalize everyone else.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
If I ever caught a random person jamming my cel phone because they thought cel phones where "annoying", I think I would honestly commit a homicide via severe beating. This anti-celphone crap is really out of control.
I know, some places like quiet nice resteraunts and the movies are not the time or place, but if I'm walking down the street, you have about as much right to tell me to get off the phone as you do to tell me to shut up when I'm talking to the person next to me.
Damn easily-annoyed whinny bastards. Probably the same people who are offended when their ATA drive says "Master/Slave" on the jumpers...
CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
Sure, some cellphone users are inconsiderate, but you don't blame every driver on the road, just the ones who drive recklessly. Also, I find it interesting that you talk about revenge, isn't dropping people conversations a form of revenge for their offending you with their conversations? When you get your jammer, I doubt if you'll politely ask anyone "Do you mind me making the service you pay for and posibly need unavailable", or will you just decide for them.
Just because you were wondering about my reality, my bill tells me that I use about 150/minutes a month, I'd say 20% are work related, and 60% my wife, and the other 20% my family. I am not a "heavy cellphone user", but I need to be sure that the phone is on. When my phone vibrates (I always keep it on vibrate and in my pocket), and I am in a public place, I answer it with a short low "hello", then either "I'm sorry I can't talk right now" or "hold on", but then again I am generally very civil. Maybe that is how you act, but I seem to think of you as less civil.
A definition of self-rightous is someone who would do an illegal act just because they think they are right. Not paying attention to the road (cellphone, radio, sex) is often called reckless driving, and as others have pointed out jamming transmitions of radio is also illegal. Both of those are wrong.
The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.