New SF Transit Policy Gives Police Permission to Blackout Cellphones in Events of ‘Substantial Disruption’
- Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:31pm by
Liz Klimas
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OAKLAND, Calif. (The Blaze/AP) — In August, the agency that oversees the San Francisco area transit system became the first government agency in the nation to block electronic communications in order to quell social unrest. Now, it has approved a policy that authorizes police to turn off wireless communications in train stations, but only for extraordinary threats.
The policy approved unanimously by the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors limits blackouts to cases in which train passengers, employees or property are threatened or a substantial disruption to train service is possible.
According to the BART website, temporary interruption can be implemented when BART “…determines that there is strong evidence of imminent unlawful activity that threatens the safety of District passengers, employees and other members of the public…”. It provides the following examples: “…evidence of use of cell phones as instrumentalities in explosives; to facilitate violent criminal activity or endanger District passengers…”
Officials crafted the policy after BART was criticized for cutting cellphone and wireless data service in San Francisco subway stations to thwart a planned protest in August. The action led to outcry by free speech activists and motivated a cyber-attack by the hacker collective Anonymous.
“The intent of this cell phone interruption policy is to balance free speech rights with legitimate public safety concerns,” BART Board President Bob Franklin said on the agency’s website. “This policy, with input from the Federal Communications Commission, and the American Civil Liberties Union, will serve as a pioneering model for our nation, as a reference to other public agencies that will inevitably face similar dilemmas in the future. “
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Comments (73)
angrychiwahwah
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:34pmHoly cow y’all need to calm down…big brother is not out to get you in this case. This is done to protect the rights of the daily commuters that have to deal with the #OWS r-tards and other uber-libs so they cannot utilize their iphones to coordinate flash mobs on BART…..geez some of you want your cake and to eat it too…
Report Post »mashuser
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:45pmNo – this is against Federal regulations. San Francisco has overstepped its bounds. Anyone in the bay area should report this to: fcc.gov/complaints choose the WIRELESS option.
If you don’t get a response from the FCC in a reasonable period, I would then report that to the FCC Office of Inspector General (google them).
Report Post »angrychiwahwah
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:56pmPlease then, feel free to wait in a BART station while police try coralling a flash mob of protesters…Perhaps you’d like to wait at the beautiful Daly City Station, i hear their bathroom is finally free of junkies and the gangbangers will only shoot you if youre wearing red(MS13 wears blue mind you) or maybe Embarcadaro and you can join the drum circle at #OSF….. Dont know if youre used to a chilly SF evening on the bay. I support BART PD, i‘d like to ride bart and not worry about who’s on the train with me.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:18pmmashuser
What is the specific citation that you are thinking about?
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:31pmPOLICE STATE!
Maybe they’ll shoot another passenger while handcuffed and facedown like they did Oscar Grant.
Only next time, they can black out everyone’s cellphones and wirelessly erase the data, ya know, so no video evidence will be uploaded.
Report Post »angrychiwahwah
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 12:56am@ V man….. Maybe Mr Grant shouldnt have been a parolee out past curfew intoxicated……
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 2:43amangrychiwahwah
“i‘d like to ride bart and not worry about who’s on the train with me.”
And then you woke up and realized that the Police State is not your nanny, and are utterly INCAPABLE of protecting you from the undesirables you don’t want to encounter.
Get a car and a life.
Report Post »historyforgotten
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 3:31amIt‘s also to Prevent ’Cell Phone Bombs’, from going off.
Report Post »Shallow-Minded People, who Only Fear ‘Big Brother’, never seem to think Rationally. These People are systematically ‘Brain Trainned’, to blame Government as a WHOLE and NOT actually Blame Individuals.
Fear and Hatred act as Blinders, for the Easily Manipulated Masses.
Wolf
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 8:39amLOL, Angry chewawa… you can’t be serious? You advocate a police state?
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 9:46amTO: mashuser
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:45pm
“No – this is against Federal regulations. San Francisco has overstepped its bounds. Anyone in the bay area should report this to: fcc.gov/complaints choose the WIRELESS option.
If you don’t get a response from the FCC in a reasonable period, I would then report that to the FCC Office of Inspector General (google them).”
YOU’RE KIDDING, RIGHT?
And, no where in our Constitution does it say, “except in ‘cases in which train passengers, employees or property are threatened or a substantial disruption to train service is possible.’ The FCC, with Obama’s blessing, is doing exactly what San Francisco is doing, and you can be sure other cities and states will follow. How much more will it take before ALL Americans wake up!?
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Report Post »wdvander
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 10:40amThe last time I checked, the FCC regulates the cellular industry and the associated frequencies. I do not recall anything in the Constitution or federal regulations that “except when the ******** in crazy town want.”
BART is a stinking city bus company supported by in-voluntary taxes. IT IS A BUS COMPANY!! That BART has emergency response teams who are considered law enforcement officers is terrifying. This is the same police force that includes a cop that pulled his service revolver instead of his taser when dealing with a man sitting on the floor in a BART station.
These people, or any other governmental entitiy, should not be allowed to terminate federally granted licenses of any communications firm and citizens who havef purchased the service.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 2:04pmReally a dangerous precedent. But then again the government can interrupt TV and radio with the emergency broadcast system. So in extreme disaster situations it would seem reasonable. For flash mobs or OWS folks it would be an absurd abuse of power.
Report Post »recoveringneocon
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 6:34pmIf you advocate “They hate us because we are Free” The terrorists have all ready won. We are losing our Freedoms and Liberties daily. Soon they will love us.
Report Post »WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges05
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 4:39am“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” -Benjamin Franklin
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:31pmIt is just one more step closer, little by little they have their excuses why they need to do these things but really it is all for oppressing the American people against any dissent from the military dictatorship they are trying to form.
Report Post »kcinco
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:53pmThat depends on whose military regime you’re talking about. If its obama‘s militia that he’s spoken of, their motive for taking speech away is to control us in a negative way, to gain physical power over our lives and remove freedoms we have enjoyed in this country. They call that marxism, communism, etc. If it’s military protection to keep us safe and secure, protect us from our own citizens who want to disrupt my peace by calling for flash mobs that wreak havoc upon innocent people, then I say black out the cell phones.
Report Post »RossPoldark
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:01pmI get tired of you people who do not want to go through airport security, because you feel it’s a violation of you privacy and rights. I get tired of you people who say you do not want SF to allow police to have the right to use cell phone black outs for safety sake, and only in serious terrorist, riot or mob threats. Fine, let’s have separate airlines for people who want no security checks, and separate subways for people who do not want cell phone black outs. You fools can take your own lives into your own hands. You can all sing kumbaya with any terrorists or mobs. I hope you have an explosive good time!!
Report Post »historyforgotten
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 3:43amCorporations Already Control Most of Our Government. GE, **** Industries, Newscorps, Exxon, BP, Banks…ALL Too Big Too Fail, because they Employee Hundreds of Thousands of People.
Report Post »It’s Not the Peoples Government We Should Fear, But the Fascist Corporate Government, that Molds Americans and the World, into a ‘Money Hungry’ Planet.
Hitler gathered the Largest, Most Powerful Industries of War, Media, Banks, and Technologies to Convert Germany into a Hate Filled Nation, easily Led by a Hate Filled Leader.
When your Heart is full of Hate and Fear…Jesus is Not there.
People need to quit Following Other Peoples Opinions and Learn to Form there Own Opinions. The Sheep in the Rear, Follow the Sheeps Ass in Front of them.
Bluedog78
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:12pmYou guys know that the psychopath killers who use bombs to kill and maim in Europe and the middle east use cell phones to detonate them right? I would hope there would be something like this in place to keep that from happening if the situation arose. Doesn’t sound like that bad of an idea.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:16pm“Authority” will ALWAYS exceed the boundaries established for it, unless active controls in the hands of the citizenry stop it.
Report Post »taberphoto.com
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:00pmB.A.R.T. has no authority to do such. If this happens then the Law Enforcement Agency actively jamming would be in violation of FCC part 90. This would be classified as “Harmful Interference”. Only an Executive Order from the President of the United States can issue such an order or the FCC Chairman.
Report Post »grownup
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:58pmHow is it that sociopaths take over any position of power and turn it into something evil? How can we reliably spot them and keep them out of positions of power? Surely there are tests that would single them out. Would a lie detector test be reliable? Psychiatric tests? Or can we only go by their past history? As a rule they are great liars. They fool me all the time. But they have us almost into slavery. We cannot afford anymore mistakes.
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:49pmIf they can block out your cell phone, can you block out their radio system?
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:43pmWe are moving closer to Stalin and Hitler every day.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:59pmAlmost there already, expect the top to be coming down in a matter of days or weeks; hopefully though we will not have it happen.
Report Post »LOTO
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:42pmYou wont need to call for any help. Help will be already be there.
Report Post »I am sure you will be credited for the unavailable time.
There will be a form for that.
Ethical Atheist
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:41pmDoesn’t this strike people as Orwellian? I support the police but this law appears to be unconstitutionally vague. There may be times when this service could be used reasonably, but this is way to broad.
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:44pmIt better because it is.
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:39pmSF has no right to control the air waves, just like immigration, that is a federally reserved function.
Report Post »korbin
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:18pmI live in San Francisco, NOT what a bunch of freaks, California is way fuc ked up, SF is the Bunghole of California. Lets pass ordinances that prevent private parties at public parks, lets make it legal to dine out naked, lets prevent McDonalds from selling food in city limits, lets make it legal to marry your pet lizard oh wait there is a ordinance that says you can’t own one in city limits, lets legalize prostitution, weed, heroin, make it illegal for heterosexual marriage, oh oh we will harbor illegals also paid for by the rest of california. Cant wait for the next “big one” time for a cleansing.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:35pmHey, wait… let’s make everything Legal… and fill the Body Bags with those who OD!
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:46pmIf you live in Sodom Francisco then you must know what Lot felt like.
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:15pmSo who gets to decide when they can do this? What kind of training did she/he have to be such a expert on determining when to shut off the phones? Sounds like something Obummer would want to do.
Report Post »garbagecanlogic
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:13pmGuess which city in Cally Porn E Ah I definitely will not be visiting while I am visiting out here!
The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
Report Post »The U.N. Out Of The U.S.
prozach
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:09pmHow is cutting cell phones a good idea? I hate the OWS people too but if they can do it to them they can do it to us and once they start you won’t be able to stop them.
Report Post »missmollywog
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:09pmHee hee…can you spell LAWSUITS??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Restored One
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:19pmHow does this not effect the communication of the Police and Fire Services? Aren’t most of their devices wireless also? Can anyone explain? I know that when we had the Loma Prieda quake, it was said that they had to go back to using the old HAM style communications. Anyway, I am not really up on the whole Tech thing. I would like to know though if this could effect EMS. Thanks
Report Post »korbin
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:05pmnudge nudge, what Constitution? and does anyone especially the police, FBI, IRS,CIA,ATF,Sheriff, anyone in power of authority have any standards at all. can anyone stand up for whats right?? I would never follow orders/directions that put me in a position of going against the Constitution. Does anyone have any since of country? Fast and furious is a good example, supposed heroes coming forward those so called whistle blowers, I think they are not heroes but hiding behind the fact they put their mighty dollar and pensions and position of power ahead of their principals and country. There is no way on earth I would ever allow my superiors to go against the constitution, how long did they know what was going on before “narcing” I think they knew the whole time. Wow name one time someone stood up against the grain just one person any cop or government worker that said NO hell NO I won’t enforce any directive that is a blatant Constitutional Violation.
Report Post »4-The-Truth
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:02pmI wonder when they will start using Carrier IQ data to decide who’s phone to block.
I am sure it will be the name of better service for the collective.
Report Post »TwoMinuteMan
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:01pmCities provide cell phone and wifi reception in subways as a benefit for using their mass transit and to make emergency services available.
It is NOT a right.
They are just taking steps to manage civil unrest like the flash mobs we saw in NYC. All of which were coordinated over social media sites. You could also imagine a rapidly spreading virus or malware being stopped from infecting the transit system or its riders hardware by turning off the system.
Report Post »korbin
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:10pmYour a freak. have some balls watch this video of one of your fellow democrats. I know its difficult for you types to have an open mind and think for yourselves however this lady on the video explains in terms I think even you would understand. By the way she is the only progressive that has any self respect and principals, even with all she stands for she has balls. She is a tree hugging, democrat, lesbian. If you think this isn’t part of agenda 21 then you are a sheep.
Report Post »democratsagainstagenda21.com
korbin
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:11pmNeither is two men being married.
Report Post »Cuthalu
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:59pmyup The police state is already here.
Report Post »KingCanon
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:59pmCalifornia is the TEST ME state for liberalism and communism! May God help you in time of need. Time of need? Can‘t remember when California wasn’t in need. Can you?
Report Post »KingCanon
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:56pmThere ya go! All of the emergency broadcast testing, etc has now progressed to full government control.
Report Post »The last test was for POWER and GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER and don’t ya forget it!
thekuligs
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:47pmCalifornia is dead to me, I live in Nevada and often go on vacation to San Diego and Disney, but not anymore. Other states can have my money.
Report Post »Slayer
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:47pmThis is what happens when you let RepubliKKKans run things!
This would never happen if Obama were President…
Um….
uh….
Forget it.
Report Post »akairey
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:43pmI sooo used to love the Bay Area….(currently in San Diego)..but now those OWS idiots and “sanctuary” city leaders….and OWS supporting Mayor of Oakland made me realize I’m glad I left, but as old Bennet used to sing…“I left my heart in San Francisco”.
Report Post »republic2011
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:38pmCommunist California.. take a hypothetical situation and pass a law that will not only stop the criminal but will infringe on the rights of law abiding Citizens. Interesting since such a hypothetical could only happen every so often (like almost never), and they need to pass a law that will strip citizens of their constitutional rights (at their discretion). You won’t find me riding that transit. I hate living here.
Report Post »groundzero
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:46pmCalifornia is LOST and ur comment is well said. I’m sure they have something on the books already .
Report Post »NothingToSeeHere
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 1:44pmWell, actually the ‘constitutional right’ they are infringing upon is not actually the freedom of speech listed in the bill of rights. Freedom of speech is not access to a network, but instead vested in the individual citizen. OWS complains that ‘if they are not allowed to occupy a park our freedom of speech has been infringed upon’, just like you argue that the access to a particular network is a denial of your freedom of speech. Maybe a limitation of the freedom of speech, but not a denial of the right. On the flip side, and now arguing with myself, if we give the bearucrats an inch, they’ll take a mile. So it goes back to beg the original question of, when do we stop them? When have they gone too far? Unfortuneatly there is no easy answer, so it remains that we need to be ever vigilant and if the time comes, which I believe may be closer than some believe, we rise up and ‘take back’ our country. “The purpose of government is to expand, the responsibility of the citizens is to keep the government from growing out of control”. Forget who said that, but it is true. At some point the majoprity of legal american citizens will be fed up with the nanny state and revolt.
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