Boston Officials Allegedly Shut Down Mobile Service In Boston To Prevent Remote Detonation (Update: Or Not)
from the overreaction dept
Update:: People are now reporting that it was not an intentional shut down, despite reporters claiming officials told them this. Yet again... early reporting coming out of a crazy situation turns out to not be accurate.As I'm sure you've heard by now, there were some explosions not too long ago in Boston at the end of the Boston Marathon. Not surprisingly, this has become the important (and horrifying) news story of the day. At a time like this, there generally isn't that much news for us to report, because (1) others are doing it much better and (2) we're just as much in shock as everyone else.
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Filed Under: boston, boston marathon, cell service, explosions, mobile service
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Anyways, it has been verified that they brought down the towers for this no allegedly.
Let the police do what they need to, clear the bombs that are still around, and pray for everyone over there. Or donate. Blood, time, money if you can't afford the others.
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here we go again
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This smacks of panic and/or attempts to manage the news.
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People lining up to give up their rights
Boston PD does not have the authority to shut down cell towers. All they can do is "ask" the carriers to do so. All you who are sheepling in support of this are giving the police these draconian powers THEY DON'T RIGHTLY HAVE.
Let's just add this: "But think of the children!" "If this only saves one life... it's worth it." It doesn't, it won't, and it isn't.
The reason to give up your rights isn't "because security" nor "because police" nor "because terrorism." And for those who say "Too soon... let's let them take away our rights in the name of security and we'll review later..." there is no later. When you open Pandora's box of giving LEP powers they don't otherwise have, they _never_ give them back.
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Re: People lining up to give up their rights
Regardless, this is a pretty shitty time for you to be up on your soapbox calling people 'sheeple'.
Also, nobody at any point in this story ANYWHERE said anything like "but think of the children" or your other quote, so you seem like an even bigger asshole than you would have otherwise. Step back, you are totally out of line.
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Re: here we go again
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Well
However, it DOES highlight how easy it is for authorities to cut off communication means...
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Is the remote report accurate?
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Misinformation?
So was it actually shut down or not?
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Oh great...
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Update...
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Emergency services comms would be unaffected, I'm assuming, but 911 cell calls would likely be.
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The irony of you claiming that they overreacted is priceless. We all know that had you been in charge in Boston, everything would have been done perfectly--just like you've demonstrated with this post. Sigh.
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Are you this much of an asshole in real life or do you just play the part online?
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Re: People lining up to give up their rights
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Wow.
Get out of here you freak.
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Honestly, when Mike wrote this, just about everybody was talking about the cell phones being shut down. I'm a bit unnerved though, just how plausible it seemed at the time.
Nonetheless, we need to be careful to not report on things until we are certain they are true, and not get carried away looking for a scoop. Thats how rumors like this start...
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2) You are an utterly broken human being. I mean that. You must have zero empathy to think that this was a remotely acceptable thing to post.
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I think Mike certainly did his due diligence. Its the major news sources who screwed up on this one.
I was actually expecting a techdirt post on this, honestly I was a bit worried about the cell network being switched off on such short notice. That would probably scare a lot of people who could not contact their loved ones after this horrific act.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but at least, now we know.
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Huh? He says "it seems like an overreaction." If he's such an evidence-based guy who can't form an opinion until he has perfect information, he was surely forming an opinion there based on little to no information.
You are an utterly broken human being. I mean that. You must have zero empathy to think that this was a remotely acceptable thing to post.
If they thought it necessary to disable phone service to prevent a bomb going off, then I support that decision, even if it turns out later to be wrong. How is that me having "zero empathy"? It's not.
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Leave.
Leave NOW.
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You are an utter fucking asshole and you continually display worrying mental issues through your comments badgering someone you have never met.
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To everybody in this thread:
Please do not use this horrible disaster as an excuse to go trolling. Have a little more respect than that.
If you hate Mike's guts that bad, then don't read his blog.
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I just call 'em like I see 'em.
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But for now, let us think of those who have been killed or maimed today, as well as their families.
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Response to: lucidrenegade on Apr 15th, 2013 @ 4:28pm
P.S. Fuck off trolls
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Some reports (different stations) were that they were able to text people they had on the scene, but texts were not getting out.
I'm guessing that a spike in usage of the network screwed up service and people decided it had to be because it was ordered shut down rather than the obvious everyone was flooding the network.
If the reports of them having issues communicating with each other (first responders, investigators, etc.) then someone at DHS needs a beating. We spent billions to ready the country for an 'attack', we are kept on the edge of our seats in fear of, and when something horrific happens the system is just as broken as before we threw money at it to fix it.
Thankfully for the injured this took place close to the finish line where they had all sorts of medical staff on standby to help the runners.
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They were asking that people that could in the area, to open their wifi to assist allowing communications.
Like everyone else, I think the troll has gone too far this time. His mental attitude and mental health is suspect.
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Personally, if theres a fear that cell phones are being used as detonators I think it is perfectly legitimate. I understand that communication with loved ones would be disrupted but better that than a loved one die unnecessarily in a subsequent blast detonated by a cell phone. I think the suggestion that shutting down cell service was/would be an "overreaction" is a staggeringly stupid thing to say.
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Especially since it was based on no evidence whatsoever. Mr. Evidence-Based strikes again. At least we know how awesome he is. I almost forgot. The reminders really help.
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Also, it seems that cell phone usage may have been restricted here because too many people were trying to use their cell phones all at once and there is only so much signal bandwidth.
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This statement is evidence of very limited intellectual ability on your part. If you think that the desire to state an opinion and the desire to find and present evidence are mutually exclusive traits then you're just too dumb to participate.
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Clearly this person has some kind of problem.
Let's stop responding to his comments, just report them instead.
I know, I know, I responded too, I should know better...
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So yeah, I'd say you're an asshole too. Asshole.
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It's fine to disagree with his opinion, but this is an appropriate place to write his opinion.
You know, you could start your own blog, and write how you hate stuff, you might get out_of_the_blue will comment how brilliant you are, because he hates stuff too.
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I Suspected These Reports Were Wrong
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Re: I Suspected These Reports Were Wrong
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I have no idea why this is such a foreign concept for some people.
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I can't believe some of the things that have been said in these comments.
Seems like whenever Mike writes an article, the trolls circle like vultures. Sometimes they start an interesting conversation, but here it is not only offensive and inappropriate, but disrespectful to those who have lost their lives.
Just follow my previous advice, don't respond, click report and eventually their comments will be flagged.
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Re: here we go again
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1. I these crisis situations....NEVER DOUBT THEM. Even if the shutdown was intentional, you have to keep in mind that they found and diffused two other bombs (one of which was at the JFK Library) that were set to go off by calling those numbers. They would have had to do a thorough job at searching for others throughout the city...which could take up to 4 hours.
2. Please no more reporting on this until the ENTIRE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE AS YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS A JOURNALIST NOT TO JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING THESE MATTERS.
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Re: Re: I Suspected These Reports Were Wrong
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The latest news is that the fire at the JFK Library was unrelated. Whatever the case, no bombs were "diffused" (obviously, or the JFK fire wouldn't have happened).
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http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/boston-marathon-bombing-kills-3-injures-140-2-unexploded -bombs-recovered
You were saying Karl?
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Re: Re: here we go again
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Re: Re: Re: here we go again
If I were the devil's advocate, I'd be praising the assholes that bombed the Boston Marathon...In which case I haven't...which means you're argument is now irrelevant.
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Wally, you're a god damn liar
I (sic) these crisis situations....NEVER DOUBT THEM."
Bullshit.
"Text on SMS gets jammed when voice gets jammed."
No, SMS and voice use separate portions of the bandwidth.
"With cell phone detonators you cannot take that chance because the detonation relies on the specific radio frequency of the device rather than the voice message or phone number."
More outright lies. Detonation is triggered by calling the specific device *by its phone number*. Cellular devices don't have radio frequencies unique to each device. What a tard you are...
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Re: Re: Re: I Suspected These Reports Were Wrong
1) the radio transiever(s) in the device
2) Antenna
3) Carrier
Detonators based on cell phones DO require communication through the cellular tower, if that communication is blocked because the cellular network is overloaded, then it won't work.
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First problem "reporting" isn't a "Jump to conclusions". Reporting is the act of relaying information about a specific event, not opinion. I suspect you would like for Mike not to editorialize, which is to make comments or express opinions rather than just report the news.
Tech Dirt is a blog which, in my opinion, is an appropriate venue to express opinion. If it weren't there would be no need for comments either, since they are almost exclusively opinion. ;^)
Second, I don't think Mike reached a 'conclusion' he said (emphasis added) which is NOT a conclusion. Note the keyword "seems", the definition of which is "Used to make a statement or description of one's thoughts, feelings, or actions less assertive or forceful."
Right, we must never question authority, well at least when there is a crisis, they could never 'get it wrong'. Give me a break. Look at the handling of Katrina by your beloved DHS. DHS like every other bureaucratic organization has a set of 'Standard Operating Procedures', which are intended to streamline the process based on PAST experience. (See 9/11, Katrina... for full details) This will never be a good way to handle a crisis (though it may be the best available way), since the crisis is generally not something that can be planned for, if it could be planned for it could be avoided.
Again, a blog is a perfect place to question DHS, current or proposed legislation or in fact any news of the day. It is the purpose of a blog to inform and in fact initiate a discussion or dialog.
Gonna need a cite on that, because the news I have heard said the JFK incident was not related and they found one un-detonated bomb, not two. Nor have I heard any credible reporting that the bombs were triggered by cell phone. At a large event like the Boston Marathon, where the cellular phone system will likely be above capacity anyway it would not be wise to rely on cell phone technology for detonation of a device, especially if you are going to use it for detonation of multiple devices. After the first device detonates, the cellular network will most certainly be overwhelmed by people calling 911, trying to get a hold of friends and relatives to let them know they are ok...
In my opinion it was a lot more problematic for news agencies to inaccurately report that the JFK Library fire was a third bomb, when in fact it was an unrelated incident.
Where exactly did you get 4 hours? It would take days to search for bombs "throughout the city" and that is if you ignored residential areas. You would need to search public buildings, trash cans, vehicles, sewers...
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"Whatever the case, no bombs were "diffused" (obviously, or the JFK fire wouldn't have happened)."
So when you say no bombs were diffused...do you somehow mean that the other two that did not go off due to the jammed cell phone network? I mean how can you not diffuse the bomb by dismantling them?
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Also, it's the DHS's job to investigate these matters and by not having rots fly around from editorializing and speculation they can due their job. It has recently been discovered that the bombs were made from pressure cookers....that's just from the fragments.
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DHS will tell us exactly what they want us to hear and no more. It may / may not be factual and / or complete.
Look at the US invasion of Iraq, we were told Irag had WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and we must go in to protect the world. What did we learn?
1) No WMD
2) We pretty much destroyed the country
3) We sent the country into a civil war
4) When the mess we created became to costly (in lives) to clean up we left. Leaving the Iraqi people to clean up the mess we created. In fact Iraq is probably more of a threat now, than it was when we invaded.
Any government agency is going to follow the agenda of the country leaders. Only a fool would believe everything they say. (and the current leadership is no better than the previous one)
Our government is now so focused on 'pre-crime' [yes a Minority Report reference] that they no longer wait for a county (or their own people) to act and they just go in guns blazing. That is both literally (as in Iraq) and figuratively (as in taking down websites, obsessing over copyright infringement, doing whatever corporate America tells them to do, denying people the right to be innocent until proven guilty...).
I will not blindly follow DHS or any government agency, nor will I stay silent.
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