TV DETECTOR VANS ONCE PROWLED THE STREETS OF ENGLAND

Hack a day ^ | 18 Jan 2021 | Lewin Day

[DUMBGRUNT]

THE VAN IS COMING FOR YOU To ensure a regular income, the BBC runs enforcement operations under the TV Licencing trade name, the entity which is responsible for administering the system. Records are kept of licences and their expiry dates, and investigations are made into households suspected of owning a television who have not paid the requisite fees. To encourage compliance, TV Licencing regularly sends sternly worded letters to those who have let their licence lapse or have not purchased one. In the event this fails, they may arrange a visit from enforcement officers. These officers aren’t empowered to forcibly enter homes, so in the event a homeowner declines to cooperate with an investigation, TV Licencing will apply for a search warrant. This may be on the basis of evidence such as a satellite dish or antenna spotted on the roof of a dwelling, or a remote spied on a couch cushion through a window.

Based on an alleged BBC submission for a search warrant in recent years, there may be optical methods used in which reflected light from a television in a viewer’s home is compared to a live broadcast signal The BBC declined to answer the Freedom of Information request with any details of their methods, other than to say they have employed vehicles and handheld devices in enforcement efforts. However, given the multitude of broadcast, cable and satellite channels now available, the comparison effort would necessarily be much harder, leading some to suspect the days of the detector van are largely over.

[oldvirginian]

“In the United States it’s called ‘Congestion Pricing’”...

First I’ve heard of it in the US but I wouldn’t put it past the democrats. Prince Andrew of Albany will find a way to implement it. Or maybe Threesome Newsom out in Cali. Who ever, it’ll be a clusterscrew of gigantic proportions.