Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!killer!vector!nobody From: sleat@ardent.UUCP (Michael Sleator) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: In use light Summary: minor correction of advertising hype Keywords: privacy, phone tapping Message-ID: Date: 15 Oct 88 00:44:52 GMT References: Sender: chip@vector.UUCP Reply-To: sleat@ardent.UUCP (Michael Sleator) Organization: Ardent Computer Lines: 27 Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-Submissions-To: telecom@bu-cs.bu.edu (TELECOM Digest Coordinator) X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp (USENET Telecom Moderator) X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 8, issue 162, message 4 In article mgrant@cos.com (Michael Grant) writes: >For $24.95, Hello-Direct makes a device called the "Privacy Device" on >Page 8 of their Fall catalog. It has an annoying "feature" though... > > "Make sure no one is listening in on your calls." > > "You're assured of privacy when the Silent Patrol is on duty on > your single-line telephone. Just plug it in between your phone and > the wall and it will let you know any time someone is listening in on > an extension or tapping your line. In the event of either of these [etc.] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ don't believe it! I hate advertising hype, so I just wanted to correct this. Sure, you can build a device that detects another load such as a phone, but anyone who knows anything about electronics can tap a subscriber loop in such a way that nothing will be able to distinguish the minute effect of the tap from normal effects. (Hint: imagine clamping an oscilloscope current probe around one of the conductors.) Anyone who tries to sell you something with the claim that it will detect "any" tapping on the line is most likely lying. Michael Sleator Ardent Computer ...!{decwrl | hplabs | ubvax | uunet}!ardent!sleat