How To Jam an Opponent's Fax Machine

Through the tactic of the fax jam, a small group of determined activists armed only with modems can send a very strong message to the political opponent of their choice.

These simple instructions will show you how to conduct a very effective fax jam campaign, without running afoul of the law. The tips were developed after a New York City activist was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment for fax jamming the city's Chamber of Commerce, in protest against its role in the demolition of community gardens.

Three cautions:
 

1. A full-scale fax jam is usually most effective fairly late in a pressure campaign, after less disruptive tactics have failed.

2. The person responsible for dealing with the fax mess is usually someone other than your actual target. If you're doing very intense prolonged fax jams, consider sending flowers to the clerical worker(s).

3. Any individual who is asked to stop faxing by a specific target should do so, to avoid any possibility of a civil suit.

1. A group of activists connected by email.
 
The members of your list should be people who are committed enough to some time each week taking part in a fax jam.
2. The fax number(s) of your opponents.
 
This step can sometimes entail a bit of research, for it requires first pinpointing specific individuals who have the power to take the action you want: say, the City Commissioner who has the power to pull a community garden off the auction block.

The best way to get the actual fax number is the direct route: asking for it. As in, "What's the number for faxes to So-and- So?" The receptionist will almost always give the number without further ado. Note: If you're planning to go after multiple targets in a single institution, try to get all the numbers you need before the fun begins.

3. A coordinator to call the jams.
 
Some jams are planned well in advance (to fall, say, on the anniversary of some heinous deed); these are best announced through an alert mailed one to two days beforehand. Others are called as a nearly instantaneous response to an event.

What the faxers do next is write a letter to the target(s) of choice, using their word processing software. They write in 72 point type, one word to a page. The resulting saved file can be hundreds of pages long.

At that point, all that's necessary to send the fax is to fire up the fax-modems and, using any standard fax software, send the file. Voila: Major disruption with minimal effort.