[AARA] FCC Warning:
Herman Campbell
kn5grk at lusfiber.net
Tue Jan 19 11:14:32 CST 2021
FCC Warning: Don’t Use Ham Radio or CBs to Plan Crimes
Enforcement Bureau is concerned about social media talk of using radio
services
By Paul Mclane ⋅ <https://www.radioworld.com/author/paulmclane>
Published: January 17, 2021
The Federal Communications Commission has issued an unusual weekend
enforcement warning that boils down to this: Don’t use ham radio, CBs,
FRS walkie-talkies or other personal radio services to plan crimes.
This comes as federal and local government and law enforcement officials
around the country report concerns over possible terrorist attacks from
disgruntled Trump supports enraged by the outcome of the election and
stoked by the recent attack on the Capitol.
The Enforcement Bureau “has become aware of discussions on social media
platforms suggesting that certain radio services regulated by the
commission may be an alternative to social media platforms for groups to
communicate and coordinate future activities,” the FCC said in a
statement issued Sunday morning.
“The Bureau recognizes that these services can be used for a wide range
of permitted purposes including speech that is protected under the First
Amendment of the Constitution,” it said. But it continued in bold font:
“Amateur and Personal Radio Services, however, may not be used to
facilitate crimes.”
The warning applies to ham radio operators and users of services like
Citizen’s Band, Family Radio Service walkie-talkies and General Mobile
Radio service.
Specifically, amateur licensees are reminded that they are prohibited
from transmitting “communications intended to facilitate a criminal act”
as well as “messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their
meaning.” Users in the Personal Radio Services like CBs are prohibited
from using them “in connection with any activity that is against
federal, state or local law.”
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