Although fancy gadgets that can jam cell phone signals are both illegal and dangerous, there has been a surge in interest for these devices on the internet. The cause for this sudden interest can be attributed to a man in Philadelphia who became annoyed with fellow passengers talking on their phones during his daily bus ride, as well as a local news reporter who also experienced the same irritation.

Since the story broke on Friday, the devices – which can be purchased online for a variety of prices ranging from under $40 to over $1,000 – have garnered attention from the public. However, this upsurge in interest is concerning to security experts who understand the potential risks associated with illegal use of cell phone jammers. It is important to remember that not only is their use against the law, but they can also pose a serious threat to public safety.

“The general public doesn’t realize what they’re jamming if they were to start using these things,” said Richard Mislan, an assistant professor of computer and information technology at Purdue University who specializes in cyberforensics. “What’s not obvious is all the wireless connectivity systems that are in the background and maintaining data communications in our daily lives.”

Last week, Philadelphia TV station NBC10 reported on a man who admitted to using a cell-phone jammer during his bus commute to shut down fellow passengers when they were talking loudly.

“I guess I’m taking the law into my own hands, and quite frankly, I’m proud of it,” said the man, who the station identified only as “Eric.”

He called people using their phones on public buses irritating and rude.

“A lot of people are extremely loud, no sense of, just, privacy or anything,” said “Eric,” who was first noticed by a writer for the station. “When it becomes a bother, that’s when I screw on the antenna and flip the switch.”

The story spread. And, apparently, piqued people’s interest.

Throughout the weekend, and as recently as Monday afternoon, “cell phone jammer” was one of the top 10 searches on Google Trends, cropping up between searches for Lindsay Lohan’s “Saturday Night Live” performance and news about the Super Tuesday primaries.

The legality of the jammers varies from country to country. In the United States, it is generally illegal to sell, own or use one without the government’s permission. The devices are offered for sale on a handful of websites.

Mislan, a former communications electronic warfare officer in the U.S. Army, said law enforcement has “very specific worries” about how cell-phone jammers could be used by criminals.

But even someone looking to do no more than hush an annoying neighbor on the bus could do some harm, he said.

For example, in the Philadelphia case, the jammer could have cut off the bus driver’s communication with a dispatcher who was trying to communicate emergency or traffic information. And that’s not to mention other folks in the area (aside from the offensive loud talkers) who may have missed potentially important phone calls.

“Who is he to play god with our cellphones?” Mislan said.

Jammers are electronic devices that work by transmitting a signal on the same frequency as mobile phone calls in the area.

This interferes with the signals in the area and causes phones attempting to connect to a tower to fail. This is similar to the way in which denial-of-service attacks on websites operate.

However, using jammers is against federal law and can result in heavy fines and imprisonment. Despite their illegality, it is easy to find jammers online because of the vastness and accessibility of the Internet.

It is unfortunate that some people prioritize profit over the potential harm to others from the use of jammers. It is important to think about the safety and well-being of all individuals and follow the regulations set in place.