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from the this-explains-why-we-never-have-bars dept.
The US government will be forced to explain why its cell network kill-switch plans should be kept secret today.
Under Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 303, the US government – in particular the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – is allowed to shutdown cellphone service anywhere in the country, and even across an entire city if it feels there is a crisis situation.
However, the actual content of the policy remains secret, raising fears that it is open to abuse. For example, it's not clear who is authorized to make such a decision nor under what circumstances.
There are also groups concerned that killing of cellphone service during an emergency could make things worse.
In a frequently quoted example, San Francisco's rail system BART flipped a cell network kill-switch in several subway stations in 2011 amid a protest over a BART cop who shot and killed a drunk homeless man ( http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/08/12/bart_polioce_cut_mobile_phone_service/ ). Charles Hill allegedly threw a knife at an officer before the police opened fire.
The fact that the network shutdown was ordered against a public demonstration raised immediate concerns over how the policy is written and implemented.
In February 2013, sparked by the BART event and a refusal by the DHS to release the policy under a Freedom of Information Act request, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) sued the DHS ( https://regmedia.co.uk/2015/04/27/epic-case-dhs-phone-kill-switch.pdf ) [PDF] in order to get it to disclose the details.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by tangomargarine on Thursday April 30 2015, @04:18PM
A pretty good indicator for which states are oppressive authoritarian funholes is that--if they aren't already--they like to shut of Internet access at the first sign of public protests.
We've come a long way, America.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @06:39PM
Go to any third-world country and cell phone towers are turned off whenever the authorities feel like it. Sometimes for hours. Sometimes for whole cities. Internet is also turned off, especially wireless internet.
A solution: Do not depend on a cell-phone business/internet-access business operated by someone else. If you didn't build the entire thing, and aren't running it yourself, expect to be let down anytime. Just because something is working right now does not mean it will work when you really need it. Have a backup plan.
(Score: 2) by kadal on Friday May 01 2015, @02:06AM
Which third world country are you talking about?