Cell phone jammers raise concern, FCC requests public comments (CBS News) Cell phone jammers are being examined, after recent incidents raise questions of if and how the wireless service disruption should be used in the general population. The Federal Communications Commission released a request for public comment on the topic of cell phone jamming. That is, cutting off wireless service for mobile phones. "Any intentional interruption of wireless service, no matter how brief or localized, raises significant concerns and implicates substantial legal and policy questions," the FCC said in a public notice. We are concerned that there has been insufficient discussion, analysis, and consideration of the questions raised by intentional interruptions of wireless service by government authorities. One of the main concerns mentioned in the notice is that wireless services can be used to trigger or detonate explosive devices or incite a "violent flash mob." The FFC cited an incident in San Francisco where Bay Area Rapid Transit authorities jammed wireless service out of fear of protesters organizing a "mob." To be clear, the FCC is not interested in personal signal jamming, like the recent case of a Philadelphia man who used a cell phone jammer on a bus out of his annoyance of public cell phone use. That practice is against the law. This notice is regarding wireless carriers or their authorized agents disrupting their own service at the request of a "government actor." This is where the practice of cell phone jamming starts to toe the line of censorship. Many of BART's critics compared the transit agency's actions that of Middle East dictators. In the midst of the Arab Spring uprising of 2011, the countries like Egypt, Libya and Syria shut down the Internet to curb organizing by demonstrators. Not to mention, the FCC's reasons for why cell phone jamming is illegal for the general population - the blocking of 911 and other emergency calls. Whatever side of the conversation you fall, at the very least, it is encouraging that there is an invitation for public discourse. The six topics up for discussion are: Past practices and precedents - Bases for interrupting wireless service - Risks in interrupting wireless service - Scope of interruption - Authority to interrupt service - Legal constraints on interrupting wireless service Comments are due by April 30 and replies are due May 30. More information can be found at FCC.gov.