Telephone DoS

[phishphreek]

I listen to a radio station that is broadcast from philly just about everyday on my drive home from work. The radio show is The Kidd Chris Show. They beat out any of the other "talk" shows that are within my range.

Just like with many other "shock jock" radio shows, they have "friends" of the show call in. This is similar to Howard Stern's Whack Pack or Opie and Anthony's Wackbag (a play on howards Whack Pack I suspect).

The way it normally works is they find a new caller. The personalities of the radio show are nice to them and give them stuff or invite them to events. They then let the callers beat up on these "friends". It's all a bit. They've got mentally retarded people, crippled people, transsexuals, people who think they've got tons of talent but really suck, etc.

They have a new bit and I was questioning the legality of it. They moved into a new studio and got a new phone system. I'm not sure what kind... I never tried to find out. I suspect it's a VoIP system due to the quality, but it's only speculation.

They have this one guy/girl who happens to be a transsexual as one of the "friends" of the show. Over the past 6 months, they've warmed up to this person and let the fans of the show beat up on the transsexual. The transsexual is an emotional wreck! The transsexual will constantly call into the show and it provides hours of entertainment. Like a train wreck... you don't want to watch/listen... but you have to.

Well, they started something new. They started call forwarding some of their internal lines to this person's cell phone. Most of the time, the fans of the show just leave obscene messages and fill up their mailbox.

Here is where it may be illegal. When call forwarding lines to a single line, they're basically creating a DoS on this person's phone. The person can't make any outbound phone calls and no legit messages can come through to voice mail because they're being filled with callers to the show berating this transsexual.

At one point, the mailbox got too full and wouldn't accept anymore messages. It didn't play their normal recorded message but instead changed to a prerecorded phone company message of "mailbox number xxx-xxx-xxxx" is full. So, it basically gave out this person's real number. They'll have to cancel their phone number and get a new one to avoid constant harrasment.

I don't know if this is just a bit or not. It would seem to me that the lawers for the show would be all over it. They might be able to get around it if they get the transsexual to sign something allowing them to forward calls to them, or provide a cell phone to them that wouldn't give up their real number, etc.

I realize there is more than one problem with this... morally and legally. I'm just questioning the legality of someone call forwarding a phone number to your phone and it causing a DoS on your phone and mailbox.

[MrLinus]

I'd be questioning the legality of it in the sense of harassment. This would be similar or akin to stalking someone. Actually, now that I think about it, it is stalking someone. I'm surprised that no one has questioned them on this or brought the FCC in to address it. I guess perhaps because the person is a "transsexual" then it's acceptable to do, eh?

[Aardpsymon]

Yeah, this sounds dodgy in OOOohhhhhhhh so many ways. Harassment, discrimination, even if the victim is playing along this is still kind of dodgy.

although, people who think they have talent but don't are fair game IMO.

[phishphreek]

I personally believe that it is a bit. I think that the transsexual is in on the bit and just playing along... but it is hard to tell. Who knows if the person really is a transsexual. It could just be a character that was made up by them. I do not think that just because the person is a transsexual it is acceptable. I think you know my stance on alternate lifestyles. My family is full of them and I accept them. It's not my way, but who am I to say what is right or wrong.

I'd suspect that this HAS to be a bit. Otherwise it would be illegal for the reasons you mention and the DoS?

[MrLinus]

I would say yes. The radio station is encouraging others to do the "stalking and harassing". And through that, are effectively causing a DoS against the user (they are unable to receive legit voicemails).

[phishphreek]

Here is what confuses me. The radio station has banned quite a few ideas for bits and even shut down message boards that didn't even belong to them.

They did have an unofficial message board that was setup by some fans of the show. The radio station had to have the message board shut down because of the content that was being posted there...

I don't konw how they can get away with it unless the whole thing is fake. The transsexual is fake (which I don't think so... they have pictures and this person is at events) or is playing along.

[nihil]

The person can't make any outbound phone calls

If that is their private phone and it includes 911 calls, I would say that you are looking at a felony. You would be over here.

just a thought

[MrLinus]

Here is what confuses me. The radio station has banned quite a few ideas for bits and even shut down message boards that didn't even belong to them.

They did have an unofficial message board that was setup by some fans of the show. The radio station had to have the message board shut down because of the content that was being posted there...

I don't konw how they can get away with it unless the whole thing is fake. The transsexual is fake (which I don't think so... they have pictures and this person is at events) or is playing along.

This is why I was asking if people didn't care because the person "is" a transsexual. I wonder if the response would be the same if it was a nice college girl or an educated person. Or if they were black. The transsexual community has even less of a voice as a minority group than any other. Since it's often viewed as socially acceptable to make fun of transsexuals (e.g., The Birdcage, etc.) it wouldn't be viewed by the audience as doing something wrong, legally or morally.

[oofki]

I dont see how that would "DoS" a phone though. On cell phones you can call out as some one is leaving a message. I think for it to be DoS it would have to render the cell phone useless and I think they would still be able to use it..

[phishphreek]

I'm not sure how your cell phone is... but when someone is calling me, I am unable to dial out. As soon as I dial the number and press connect, it picks up the incoming call. My current phone (Blackberry 7100i from Nextel) won't even allow me to dial a number when I have an incoming call. If you have dozens of calls trying to come in at the same time, then you can't call out. If you send one to voice mail, the next incoming call will be ringing to your phone. It has been like that for the two providers and at least a dozen phones I've had. Sprint/Nextel and Cingular (now ATT)