The FCC is investigating Amazon for allegedly marketing wireless signal jammers

The Federal Communications Commission has confirmed that it is currently investigating Amazon and other retailers for their suspected involvement in the marketing and sale of wireless signal jammer, as disclosed on Wednesday.

In the United States, it is illegal to use, sell, or advertise wireless devices that are specifically designed to block or interfere with signals from other legal electronic products, like cell phones and GPS devices, to consumers.

The FCC's spokesperson, Will Wiquist, publicly acknowledged that the agency is conducting several investigations on retailers, including Amazon, for possible violations of Commission rules related to the marketing and sale of devices without proper FCC authorization.

NBC News has revealed that some online retailers and drone technology companies are exploiting federal laws by selling RF signal jammers for sale as tools to deter drones or protect privacy. This allows them to bypass the ban on selling such devices within the country.

Amazon did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Reuters.

A recent investigation by NBC has brought to light that nine Chinese sellers on Amazon, along with three on eBay, were found to be selling devices known as "jammers." These devices can be used to block drones, disable security cameras, and disrupt Wi-Fi networks.

Several online retailers and drone technology companies are advertising RF jammers as tools for deterring drones or protecting privacy, bypassing federal laws that prohibit 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.

The Federal Communications Commission emphasized on its website that these interfering devices pose a significant risk to public safety and can disrupt other radio communication services.

The potential uses of jamming devices are numerous, including confusing unwanted drones, disrupting Wi-Fi networks, and disabling doorbell cameras. In a Reddit message board focused on Ring doorbell cameras, certain posters expressed dissatisfaction with individuals using jammers to disable the cameras while committing theft to avoid being caught. Interestingly, a Reddit poster highlighted the irony that Amazon appears to benefit from both situations: Ring is a part of Amazon, and Amazon also serves as a marketplace for purchasing devices that could potentially disable Ring's cameras.

Despite being queried about the issue, Amazon has chosen not to provide any response regarding potential interference with Ring devices.

Discussions about RF blockers, also known as jammers, are frequently found in online forums where individuals share their beliefs of being targeted for extensive surveillance by the government or other entities, a phenomenon often referred to as "gang stalking."