NationStates Jolt Archive

I was telling my buddy down in Arkansas, Hellpope Huey, about moving into my current digs here in Toronto a few years back (New Year's Eve, 2000). The guy renting this townhouse before me was an Iranian, who had set it up not as a living space, but as a 'madrassah'- an Islamic learning center for adults. The livingroom/diningroom space was wall-to-wall desks, facing a blackboard, with framed quotations from the Qu'ran and big colour photos of mosques mounted on the walls.

I didn't think much of it at the time, other than the fact I was probably going to end up stuck with a lot of headache-y renos to do before springtime.

But after 9/11...

My telephone would ring occasionally, with nothing showing on the call display. It would ring only once, and then stop. On the rare occasion I picked it up immediately, there was either dead air, or a dull clicking noise. My telephone was new, and fully digital. It became a bit of a joke around the house, that we were being phonetapped because of my peacenik affiliations. Then it occurred to me: suppose our phone really WAS being tapped, not because of me, but because this was the former location of a madrassah? Wow, paranoia started setting in, finally.

So- after another few months of this erratic phone-ringing, I tried this: Speaking clearly, enunciating every syllable carefully, I said out loud, to no-one in particular, 'To any and all intelligence agencies who may be listening to the sound of my voice, the madrassah which was operating from (this address), has relocated to (and I gave the fellow's forwarding address). Please re-direct your surveillance to (the new address). There are no terrorists or associates of terrorist groups residing at, or meeting at, (my address). Would the field operatives conducting this monitoring of my abode please pass this information along to your superiors for their consideration? Thank-you.'

We had a Hell of a good laugh over this at the time, but what is truly remarkable is that since that time, my telephone has behaved itself perfectly. Doesn't prove a damn thing, though.

My question is, how can you tell when your phone is tapped? Can you tell at all, or has technology improved to the point that it's impossible for the average guy to notice?

I'd guess that government tech is, generally, behind the times, so that its possible you may have been tapped. :shrug: Creeps ME out.

But I'd wager it's not too long, if not already here, when the average guy won't know a damn thing at all.

ummm... there is a string tied to the reciever that is connected to a tin can in that closet you no longer use?

From BC with love.

*passes a joint across the provinces*

I've heard that when your phone has been tapped, it makes a clicking noise, like the one you described.
Now thats freaky enough, but what makes you think they have only tapped your phones !, they may have been watching you :D.

Also When your Computer Hardrive starts whirring when your doing nothing thats apparantly when your computer is tapped, mine does that all the time, but probably because it doesn't work to well.

I'm no expert, but I have heard that you can tell if your phone is being tapped if it makes a kind of dull clicking sound, much like what you heard. It is very possible.

ummm... there is a string tied to the reciever that is connected to a tin can in that closet you no longer use?

From BC with love.

*passes a joint across the provinces*

Gratefully accepted, mon ami. Will you try some of my own special blend?

I'm no expert, but I have heard that you can tell if your phone is being tapped if it makes a kind of dull clicking sound, much like what you heard. It is very possible.

I have heard this same thing. I had freinds dealing weed that started hearing this, and then they stopped dealing and the clicking stopped. They quit dealing for good after that.

If you where in my nation you'd know your phone is tapped because they all are :P

As for RL I don't know, but I doubt the media popularised 'clicking' sounds are still used in modern tapping techniques. But then I don't know, I'm just assuming we've made advances since the first Bond films...

Gratefully accepted, mon ami. Will you try some of my own special blend?


*HHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_OO_O_T*

WoW ThAnKs!!!

EaRRR!! :D

oh well, i dont care if my phone is tapped, it gives me an audience so when i tell all of my friends about the girl from saturday night they arent the only ones who hear about it... and then the guys listening in also get to hear the lets be friends speech that comes about 10 minutes after regaling all of the sordid details.

It makes me feel cheap to say that, but hey, ive gotten that speech too.

hmmm, maybe i should start having phone sex. I could just imagine them hitting some kind of conference call button in the middle of everything and just starting to scream at the top of their lungs *SLAP MY ASS!! SLAP MY ASS!! OH YEAH BABY!!! GIVE IT TO ME!!!*

ahhh, that would be great. :D

My telephone would ring occasionally, with nothing showing on the call display. It would ring only once, and then stop.
Don't worry, it's not the government, it's telemarketers. They use computers to dial a couple numbers at a time, then when someone answers it hangs the others up. It used to happen to us all the time. I would guess that the reason it stopped was because of the Do-Not-Call thing that got passed a little while ago. We stopped getting them after that (well, except for one company, but I think they're in do legal doo-doo now).

oh well, i dont care if my phone is tapped, it gives me an audience so when i tell all of my friends about the girl from saturday night they arent the only ones who hear about it... and then the guys listening in also get to hear the lets be friends speech that comes about 10 minutes after regaling all of the sordid details.

It makes me feel cheap to say that, but hey, ive gotten that speech too.

hmmm, maybe i should start having phone sex. I could just imagine them hitting some kind of conference call button in the middle of everything and just starting to scream at the top of their lungs *SLAP MY ASS!! SLAP MY ASS!! OH YEAH BABY!!! GIVE IT TO ME!!!*

ahhh, that would be great. :D

Heh, would be funny but great ?
I dunno what your into but National Intelligence guys screaming that would not turn me on. :P

Heh, would be funny but great ?
I dunno what your into but National Intelligence guys screaming that would not turn me on. :P

well, it would most definitley get me to go soft at the beltline, thats a given. but it would be worth it just to hear that shit. too friggin funny.

A clicking noise sounding like a stick on a picket fence usually, only softer. I've seen a phone tap done and the caller ID will say nothing, or the number 000-0000. A silence means they're trying to determine what sounds can be heard in your house by amplifying the sensitivity of their recording device, but it would sound like you would be shouting at them.

In actual fact, all telephones in the US and Canada are monitored 24/7. Certain keywords will activate a recording device, which is usually listened to at a later time.

The clicks you are referring to are probably either telemarketers or a poor copper line coming into your home.

Eh, my phone's being tapped right now, because I'm currently being surveyed by the Secret Service. They told me they were going to tap it, though, I know that's not always the case.

In actual fact, all telephones in the US and Canada are monitored 24/7. Certain keywords will activate a recording device, which is usually listened to at a later time.

The clicks you are referring to are probably either telemarketers or a poor copper line coming into your home.
Don't worry though, cos if you wear a hat lined on the inside with tin foil, then at least they can't read your brainwaves.

Eh, my phone's being tapped right now, because I'm currently being surveyed by the Secret Service. They told me they were going to tap it, though, I know that's not always the case.
Why?

Why?Yeah, that doesn't seem very normal.

----"In actual fact, all telephones in the US and Canada are monitored 24/7. Certain keywords will activate a recording device, which is usually listened to at a later time. The clicks you are referring to are probably either telemarketers or a poor copper line coming into your home. "

Thank you for knowing something. Carnivore and 'the big eye (ears) in the sky can monitor every conversation (search out keywords) in the US (thank god). I agree with it 100% because it is obvious that they dont give a flying fuck about anything other than national security (so just dont plan on bringing down our country and your safe, otherwise you deserve no stinkin rights)

Old technology had dead give aways to tell you if your phone had been tapped. It may of been the low volume beep or the cross configuration static from the inner frequency. Also you could get a de-tapper that would alert you if your line was spliced into dual external transmissions. Nowdays with the internet and other wireless exploits there is no need for a direct connection into or onto someones phone or Lan. Anybody scared of this, must understand that procedures to trump your Constiutional rights are justified at anytime if it is under the grounds of national security(no harm, no foul).

A little food for thought is also the fact that ally countries such as GB can perform the monitoring without ramifications, just as we might give a few pointers to them. Just a light warning to all our commie Americans out there, as long as you dream of obtaining your wish through non-violent means then your safe under free speech, because even they know it is never possible of ever changing the independant hearts of Americans.

I'm currently being surveyed by the Secret Service.
I ran sound for a Governor's conference where the VP spoke, and I had to get vetted by the Secret Service a couple days beforehand. It was a long time ago (umm, should I say it was Nelson Rockefeller?), but all they did was a background check and fingerprints. No biggie.

This sounds serious.

It's being tapped if you - *Agent Smith materializes*

"You will not reveal our methods!"

*gets caught up in fight w/Smith*

In my knowledge, a clicking sound is a telltale to someone about to bluebox the city, but I've got my own stuff to cancel out any wiretapping done locally.

Why?

My university, Millersville (http://www.millersville.edu) is celebrating our 150th Anniversary this year, and Tom Ridge is one of our opening ceremonies speaker (during his governorship, he gave our school a lot of money and whatnot )... so, he's coming to our university.

So, I'm News Editor of our school paper, The Snapper (http://www.thesnapper.com/), and I'm slated to interview him during his time at the university for the paper along with Judy Woodruff (from CNN) and Al Hunt (from The Wallstreet Journal).

Anyways, I have to pass security checks with Secret Service to get close to him... so, they've started them.

This sounds serious.

Yeah, well, I'm coming in direct contact with Sec. Ridge for longer than five seconds, so, they want to make sure I'm clean, especially since I'm a Democrat. ;)

Well, thanks everybody for your input. I'm fairly certain it wasn't telemarketers- I've been called by auto-attendants, and these 'mystery calls' didn't fit that recognizable pattern.

I don't agree at all with the member who posted saying he thanked God that intelligence agencies can sift through all conversations for certain keywords- possessing a well-rounded vocabulary should scarcely be grounds for eavesdropping, even if it concerns someone's hyperinflated sense of national security.

It's like the argument used by Joe McCarthy- if you have nothing to hide, then you should have no fear when your rights to privacy are axed.

"I don't agree at all with the member who posted saying he thanked God that intelligence agencies can sift through all conversations for certain keywords- possessing a well-rounded vocabulary should scarcely be grounds for eavesdropping, even if it concerns someone's hyperinflated sense of national security."

First I am not speaking about everyday business is usual stuff, I am speaking on an issue that was brought up once before. During President Clintons visit to a military base (a secured situation), a red flag was waved when a woman from that base said (within hours of his visit) on the phone "he is only a stones throw away from assasination". Now obviously they picked it up off of the airwaves, because the secret service was questioning her within 15 minutes for the next 3-4 hours (until the president was off the base). Mainly because you should not allow free roam to a person that has spoken ill will toward your commander and cheifs life without taking the threat seriously. Makes sense to me. Now obviously we are in a new age of threats from within and abroad and the only way to defend against people that will exploit your freedom's to harm the country that allows you have these freedoms is utilize these individuals that are ensured with protecting it. The people that cry foul about things such as these are the same people that cry foul about having metal detectors at our airports. "Its against my freedom" Let me know how much freedom your dead limp body has with those thoughts.

"It's like the argument used by Joe McCarthy- if you have nothing to hide, then you should have no fear when your rights to privacy are axed."

Also this was directed in light of National Security Issues only, not you or someone else getting a blow job in the oval office, but you or someone else wanting to do harm to our country. If you attempt to destabilize America then you do not have any frickin rights what so ever. You shall not even take a shit without you being on camera as far as im concerned.

"It's like the argument used by Joe McCarthy- if you have nothing to hide, then you should have no fear when your rights to privacy are axed."

Also this was directed in light of National Security Issues only, not you or someone else getting a blow job in the oval office, but you or someone else wanting to do harm to our country. If you attempt to destabilize America then you do not have any frickin rights what so ever. You shall not even take a shit without you being on camera as far as im concerned.

Proof of guilt in a fair trial first? :rolleyes:

"Proof of guilt in a fair trial first?"

?? When National Security is concerned, sorry but if they had the ability to be tapped into the phone conversations and web transactions prior to 9-11 of the hijackers then you would suggest that we wait till they commit thier crime and provide proof????

"Proof of guilt in a fair trial first?"

?? When National Security is concerned, sorry but if they had the ability to be tapped into the phone conversations and web transactions prior to 9-11 of the hijackers then you would suggest that we wait till they commit thier crime and provide proof????

Well then I believe that you are a terrorist and you have plans for mass murder. You should be in jail, and I don't need proof.

When they are sent to a holding cell the review of such proof is taken into consideration, not after you commit and kill almost 3000 Americans and people from many other nations that we as American's are responsible for providing protection for. So do you think that the NSA should not be able to do anything to lets say 15 hijackers plotting an attack on US soil? So we should not have any conspiracy laws? hmmm im sure glad we have them and the ability to wipe out any swine that wants to harm you or anyone in your family.

When they are sent to a holding cell the review of such proof is taken into consideration, not after you commit and kill almost 3000 Americans and people from many other nations that we as American's are responsible for providing protection for. So do you think that the NSA should not be able to do anything to lets say 15 hijackers plotting an attack on US soil? So we should not have any conspiracy laws? hmmm im sure glad we have them and the ability to wipe out any swine that wants to harm you or anyone in your family.

And how convenient we don't even need proof. :rolleyes:

Quote:
----"Originally Posted by Faithfull-freedom
When they are sent to a holding cell the review of such proof is taken into consideration, not after you commit and kill almost 3000 Americans and people from many other nations that we as American's are responsible for providing protection for. So do you think that the NSA should not be able to do anything to lets say 15 hijackers plotting an attack on US soil? So we should not have any conspiracy laws? hmmm im sure glad we have them and the ability to wipe out any swine that wants to harm you or anyone in your family."


-----"And how convenient we don't even need proof."

There is proof no differnet than when a judge signs off on a arrest warrant, what are you talking about? Where do you get that they are capable of doing anything without the individual providing a reason for the snoop? When they are planning plotting a logistical strike against a country and you are paid by the tax payers to do the job of National Security, do you expect them to plainly not do thier job? Contrary to the popular belief but I would rather have my tax paid dollars going to only people that perform thier job that I am paying them to do.