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Newly Declassified Window Film Keeps Out Snoops

Posted by kdawson on from the pricey-tinfoil-hat-for-your-house dept.

An anonymous reader writes to describe a newly declassified window film from CPFilms Inc. that could give war drivers fits. Scientific American has the story, which includes a rather dismissive comment by Bruce Schneier. "Once manufactured under an exclusive contract with the US government, this recently declassified window film is now available to the public. But don't expect to see it on store shelves anytime soon. Currently, it's only available directly from the manufacturer, and at prices that will likely make it prohibitive for all but the wealthiest home owners. The two-millimeter-thick coating can block Wi-Fi signals, cell phone transmissions, even the near-infrared, yet is almost transparent... It can keep signals in (preventing attempts to spy on electronic communications) or out, minimizing radio interference and even the fabled electronics-destroying electromagnetic pulse generated by a nuclear blast."

12 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. What about the walls? by d12v10 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't know much about radio signals, but what about the walls and paneling? Can they get through that?

  2. Cinema Wallpaper by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If They could make it into a wallpaper they could apply it to the inside of cinemas so assholes will not sit next to you and text people through the entire film.

    1. Re:Cinema Wallpaper by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Hey genius, what about receiving an emergency call? Does your magical device know to turn itself off when one of my loved ones was just rushed to the hospital? Or is you seeing Transformers uninterrupted more important?

      This is an interesting theme that pops up every time this sort of discussion takes place. I sometimes get the idea that the entire populace is just shivering with dreaded anticipation - waiting for that fateful cell phone call or text message to tell them that some horrible accident or disease has descended upon family or friend. That if they are out of contact for mere moments, they will live the rest of their lives in anguish because they failed to rush to someone's deathbed for the final conversation.

      It's really OK not to be in touch with everyone 24x7. We are not Borg just yet.

      Turn the damn things off and enjoy life.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    2. Re:Cinema Wallpaper by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sometimes I wonder how people survived without being reachable 24/7. Seriously, I am old enough to remember those times.

      At the danger of sounding harsh, but what do you expect to do if your loved one is being rushed to the hospital? Stay and enjoy the movie (without knowing it, or the enjoy part is over). You can't do jack there anyway except standing in the way of the docs trying to save him/her.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. Re:old news by mcpkaaos · · Score: 2, Insightful

    (recall that "news" comes from Middle English for "new thing")

    I've lived in the 21st century for too long. Now it just means "noise".

    --
    It goes from God, to Jerry, to me.
  4. Just what we al needed by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A way to make cell phone signals even *worse* indoors.

    No Thanks!

    Don't mind a bit if movie theaters heap several layers on the ceiling, walls, and seats though. I'll help put 'em up.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  5. I read the subject as... by Aranykai · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Newly Declassified Windows Film [...]"

    I was like... 'wtf would Microsoft have done that was classified?' I still think it would have been more interesting that way.

    This is non-news. Just some crap that will be bought by the paranoid. Whats next? Roofing underlayment that blocks free radicals?

    --
    If sharing a song makes you a pirate, what do I have to share to be a ninja?
  6. Windows Tag? by calciphus · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I know everyone loves to bash Microsoft on /. - but lets be fair, this really shouldn't be tagged with the "Windows" tag.

    Ever wonder why there's a "Linux" and an "Apple" section, but no "Microsoft" or even cleverly abbreviated "M$"?

    There's your tinfoil conspiracy.

    And tinfoil isn't made from tin. Stop calling it that.

  7. Re:yeah, but.... by Magada · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Goes to show just how much you know about nukes and EMP.

    --
    Something bad is coming when people are suddenly anxious to tell the truth.
  8. Re:yeah, but.... by AP2k · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Great, so neither one of you know about inductance? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_induc tion

    I dont suppose you would be someone to think that shorting some 20 gauge wire in an electrical socket won't vaporize the wire? Why dont you try picking up a physics book or doing some experiments yourself before commenting on a topic which you obviously do not understand?

    This isn't magic, for fucks sake. A film of plastic doesn't block out magnetic fields of any sort without being even slightly conductive.

  9. Not a bad thing by ajs318 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I've been saying for a long time that what the world needs is a simple passive defence against mobile phones. Putting up signs only pisses off people who weren't going to be using a mobile anyway, and there are enough people who ignore them to make them ineffective.

    A faraday shield is unintrusive (if implemented properly) and can't be ignored. Nobody thinks their rights are being violated when they can't get a signal ..... but they also can't annoy people with a phone if it simply doesn't work.

    --
    Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
  10. Emergency Services by TenBrothers · · Score: 1, Insightful

    This argument is bollocks.
    A firefighter in a movie theater is going to get an emergency call? They let firefighters who are on the job just wander off and do whatever? Oh, you mean if there's a HUGE fire, and they need to be reached, even if they aren't on the job. Well, what if they were off camping where there is no cell service? It's the exact same situation.

    A doctor in a movie theater has already set up a network of alternate doctors to get hold of when they can't be reached. Or have you not tried calling a doctor at an odd hour?