A Father Who Used A Signal Jammer To Keep His Kids Offline At Night Now Faces Jail Time(0)

A French father finds himself in a predicament as he faces a considerable penalty and the prospect of incarceration for his noble attempt to restrict his children's access to the internet and mobile phones during late hours. The signal jammers he employed proved to be highly effective, not only deterring his kids from going online, but also disrupting the connectivity of individuals residing in a nearby town.

An unusual occurrence affecting internet and cellular service in the town of Messanges, France, was reported to the Agence Nationale Des Frequences (ANFR). The perplexing disruption, which took place every weeknight between midnight and 3 AM, became even more peculiar upon investigation. It was determined that a signal jammer was being utilized to block radio frequencies.

According to the report, the Touluse Regional Service of the ANFR initiated its investigation in the middle of the night. What could have caused such a disruption at a time when the entire city is typically asleep?

As the agency delved deeper into the matter, they stumbled upon a distinctive shape on a graph (depicted below) that left the investigator with no uncertainty. It was undoubtedly the unmistakable signature of a wave cell phone jammer, an illegal device in France. In their quest to uncover the origin of this jamming activity, the investigator tracked it down to a house located in close proximity to the coast. Following a polite knock on the door and a confrontation with the father, he openly admitted to employing the signal jammer to prevent his teenage children from using their smartphones to surf the internet instead of getting adequate rest.

ANFR's report highlights that his children have become addicted to social networks and other applications, especially since the confinement measures were implemented as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite not intending to block an entire town's internet access, the father's use of a signal jamming device is against the law in France. Consequently, he may be subject to a penalty of up to approximately $34,000 (30,000 Euros) and six months of imprisonment.

Individuals residing in the United States should be aware that employing similar technology to prevent their children from accessing the internet is against the law. Similar to France, if found guilty, one may face significant fines and imprisonment in America.

In France, the case remains ongoing as ANFR has transferred all its findings to the relevant local authorities. However, the father is no longer in possession of his signal jammer, which he previously utilized to restrict his children's access to their beloved social media sites.