FOIA Info Reveals That BART Shut Down Cell Service With One Email To Telco Partner
from the it's-that-easy dept
Following the astounding and likely illegal decision by BART to shut down mobile phone service in stations in an attempt to block protesters from being able to communicate, Christopher Soghoian and Jacob Appelbaum filed Freedom of Information Act requests for the internal communications concerning this decision. Those communications have now been released and can be seen here (pdf) or embedded below.The interesting stuff is closer to the end. Basically, someone from BART, Dirk Peters, sent a single email to ForzaTelecom, who must be BART's partner in managing the cell service, saying that they needed it shut off:
Gentlemen,The "Steve" in question appears to be Steve Dutto from Forza, who replied and sent an email to various telcos (including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T and MetroPCS), saying
The BART Police require the M-Line wireless from the Trans Bay Tube Portal to the Balboa Park Station, to be shut down today between 4pm & 8.
Steve , please help to notify all carriers.
I have spoken to or left a voicemail for most of you. We have been told that we must shut down the DAS system from the Oakland portal to the Balboa St. Station from 4-8 pm. We do not believe that any of the carriers need to do anything, the nodes will be turned down from the Civic Center Headend and then turned back up when given the ok from the BART police.The emails also note that beyond cell service, BART also shut down its WiFi service -- also via a single email from a BART representative to the WiFi partner, WiFi Rail, who noted that they were "happy to help in any way." Nice of them.
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Filed Under: bart, free speech, mobile phones, protests, wireless
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I laugh
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Re: I laugh
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Re: I laugh
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Response to: Anonymous Coward on Sep 22nd, 2011 @ 2:40pm
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Tow the line..
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I was there that day, I didn't even notice the service was shut down. I DID notice that fucktards added an extra hour to my commute home.
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No, you're right, the protesters are the assholes.
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I'm gonna have to Godwin this thread and reference Martin Niemöller.
You should care because what they did was absolutely wrong. Not because it affected you directly.
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Re: Re:And then they came. Who is they?
"oh no," said Jim.
Are we us?
"L00k under the bus." said Jim.
Kick.
We are all us and them.
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Or in other words: I'm so sorry free speech is such a burden for you. Perhaps you should try living without it for a week or two.
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Interesting... considering no actual protests happened that day.
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The comment is still short-sighted for measuring inalienable rights against an hour's convenience. I could be wrong, though. It might be dumb for two reasons.
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Oh well, no such reason exists I'm afraid. I am so terribly sorry for your delay in commute time because of these wicked people.
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Response to: Anonymous Coward on Sep 22nd, 2011 @ 3:21pm
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This BART mess is theft. I would not pay anything after that,
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It was -NOT- an FOIA request
Anyone trying to take a similar path in the future will get no where with an FOIA request.
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Duh, Dems R Big Govt
Dems want big Govt to rule your life, that's the Progress agenda. The Nanny State is their way to "Protect You from Yourself," and crush your Constitutional Rights to grow their influence.
California is rank with Govt Unions run amuck. Socialization of Risk is their motto and your Individual Rights listed in the Constitution are "in their way."
My favorite is their need to dictate what can you ingest because Big Govt is going to be paying your future Medicare bill.
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