TRS Data Legality

[markgrutz]

I am not sure if this is a good place for this question or not. I have been using one flavor of deocder for about 9 years now. I have over 4400 radio identifiers that I have captured on our system. I got myself in a bit of hot water years ago for opening pandora's box and submitting talkgoups to this site. While I am 100% sure that I did nothing illegal in obtaining the data (by listening a whole lot) the County felt I should be liable for re-programming the entire system. That problem went away when it was explained that a 8yo could have done the same thing.

Anywho, I have verified near 1000 of the radio users mostly be repeated self-identification, but sometimes by overhearing the communications techs talking about identifiers. I do have a good bit of inside information in regards to how radios are issued and how many each unit has, so that makes it easier to figure things out. The question is what is/are the legal ramifications of publishing this information. I'd love to share with other users, but I don't want another phone call that I can't defend against. Is there anything specific that would prevent me from placing these on the Wiki for Howard County? I have put in a MPIA request, but I doubt I will get the "official" list ever.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[rdale]

It's legal. I'd suggest it isn't very smart to link specific individuals to radios (i.e. "Joe Smith = 01245) is not smart) but otherwise go ahead.

 

[greenthumb]

Or create another account with an ambiguous user name and have at it!

 

[RolnCode3]

You're not an employee of the agency, right? Just a citizen that collected the info?

 

[kma371]

I would have just submitted it without announcing who you are and how you got it, in the public forums

 

[kma371]

It's not a matter of legal or illegal, but your agency might have policies that prevent you sharing info with the public that they would deem sensitive.

Common sense always prevails.

 

[WayneH]

You have your name as your member name and your City listed. You've already done the hard work for them.

This is why we don't like members using their true names as their account name. [I know that may sound hypocritical but I'm not concerned.] If at some point you want it changed (for good reason) check out the Sticky thread in the Forums Admin forum.

 

[markgrutz]

I am not an employee, but I have been a volunteer for quite a number of years.... trust me they already know me. I have always done this on my own time, without using County resources..... maybe I get a free hint here and there, but about most has been without any help. The initial trouble was "Big M" sold a bill of goods that wasn't true. Sounded like it was another sales pitch to the effect of 'your system is 100% rock solid and operates in an alernate universe where no-one could ever see or hear it'. They were a bit surprised and I think I burst thier bubble a little, especially with the FCC database bit.

Even if I or someone else was to post said information, I was just curious if this topic had ever been covered from a legal aspect. I know there was a thread in regards to the live feeds and specific laws that cover that. I obviously see thousands of talkgroups here, so clearly there is no problem with that informaiton for the most part. I just know that now that scanners are begining to show the actual radio ID's, they are easier to get now more than ever. Not many of us run Unitrunker or the like full time, but there are probably far more portable scanner users.

I think for now I will keep it to myself until there is a bit clearer answer on the actual legality. However, if I was to get anything under the MPIA or FOIA, I will be sure to share it as soon as possible. Somehow that seems like a much more clear cut easy answer if it is in fact considered public information.

Thanks All,
Mark

 

[rdale]

FOIAs won't work because government agencies classify anything related to radios as secret. Again - there is nothing illegal about it. I've posted hundreds of radio IDs based on unit. I have names to go along with the officers but I would never even consider doing that.

 

[Michael-SATX]

markgrutz, my sugestions are simple and here it is :
Just submit TG's with Alpha Tags under your county and check the box to remain anonymous ~ simple
Next, beg one of the Forum Moderators to "Zap" this thread and any others that mention posting lots of info !
Then in a week or so when your info gets posted, you cannot be tied directly to it, tons of info on RR like yours
anyway and like rdale said, just keep the RID's to yourself and only PM this info only among friends, etc.

 

[markgrutz]

Thanks for the input all,

I will leave well enough alone and keep it to myself and maybe someday if I share with others 1 on 1, it will wind up here anyway.... trickle down kida thing. Afterall it's nothing that someone else can't duplicate on their own. Granted I have a lot of free time at work, so maybe not as fast

I'm not worried about zaping the thread, like I said in my initial post, it was intended as more a question as to whether or not the legal aspect had ever been addressed. And who knows, it might be helpful later to someone else. I am not all that concerned about what the county knows, otherwise I wouldn't have posted as me.

Mark

 

[rdale]

markgrutz, my sugestions are simple and here it is :
Just submit TG's with Alpha Tags under your county and check the box to remain anonymous

He's talking about Radio IDs (RIDs) which go in the Wiki, not the RRDB.

 

[Confuzzled]

I would have just submitted it without announcing who you are and how you got it, in the public forums

You have your name as your member name and your City listed. You've already done the hard work for them.

This is why we don't like members using their true names as their account name.

What they said. I strongly recommend against anyone using a personally identifiable name, ID or location on the web. That's just asking for trouble.

I don't even like to see people using the same ID on different boards and sites, yet I see people on this very thread on more than just this site.

 

[WayneH]

Next, beg one of the Forum Moderators to "Zap" this thread and any others that mention posting lots of info !

That's not allowed anymore. Though posts before a certain date (Aug 30, 2011) are grandfathered and therefore exempt from the rule.

We want members to be accountable for what they post; we won't be the ones to come clean up due to a poor decision.