The FCC is looking into allegations that Amazon has been marketing wireless signal jammers(0)

An investigation has been initiated by the Federal Communications Commission into the alleged marketing and sale of wireless signal jammer by Amazon and other retailers, as announced on Wednesday.

It is against the law to utilize, market, or promote wireless gadgets that are designed to block or disrupt signals from authorized electronic devices, including cell phones and GPS devices, to consumers in the United States.

The FCC's spokesperson, Will Wiquist, made a rare public statement acknowledging that the agency is actively investigating multiple retailers, including Amazon, for potential violations of Commission rules regarding the marketing and sale of devices without proper FCC authorization.

According to a report by NBC News, a number of online retailers and drone technology companies are exploiting a loophole in federal laws by selling RF signal jammers for sale as means to deter drones or safeguard privacy. This enables them to circumvent the ban on selling such devices in the country.

Amazon did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment from Reuters.

A recent report by NBC has uncovered that nine Chinese sellers on Amazon, as well as three on eBay, were discovered to be selling devices known as "jammers." These devices have the potential to interfere with drones, disable security cameras, and disrupt Wi-Fi networks.

A number of online retailers and drone technology companies are advertising RF jammers as tools to deter drones or protect privacy, sidestepping federal laws that forbid the sale of such devices in the United States.

Rf jammers are devices that interfere with communication systems, usually by sending competing radio signals to confuse nearby electronics. It's a decades-old technology that federal regulators have been trying to crack down on, but interest in jammers persists because people can use them to avoid unwanted drones, disable security cameras or block Wi-Fi networks.

According to the FCC's website, these obstructive devices represent a considerable danger to public safety and may interfere with other radio communication services.

The applications of jamming devices are diverse, ranging from causing confusion among unwanted drones to disrupting Wi-Fi networks and disabling doorbell cameras. Within a Reddit community dedicated to Ring doorbell cameras, some members raised issues about the use of jammers to interfere with the cameras during theft incidents to avoid being caught. One Reddit user highlighted the paradoxical situation where Amazon seems to profit from both sides: Ring operates under Amazon, and Amazon offers devices that could potentially disable Ring's cameras.

Inquiries regarding Amazon's potential interference with Ring devices have gone unanswered by the company.

Online forums dedicated to individuals who suspect they are being closely monitored by the government or other parties often discuss the use of RF blockers, also known as jammers, in what is sometimes referred to as "gang stalking."