Comprehensive regulations governing the access, consumption, and utilization of the BeaconHEAR Critical Information Network.
BeaconHEAR ("The Service") is operated by Beacon Mid-Atlantic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to situational awareness. To comply with federal, state, and local regulations, and to ensure the safety of public safety personnel, we adhere to the following absolute restrictions:
We do not, under any circumstances, capture, decode, stream, archive, or distribute radio traffic originating from:
Any attempt by a user to request, solicit, or "hack" the service to access such channels will result in immediate termination of access and a referral to the appropriate authorities if criminal intent is suspected.
Access to BeaconHEAR is a revocable privilege, not a right. By accessing these feeds, you explicitly agree NOT to engage in the following activities:
You may not use the audio streams to plan, facilitate, or commit any crime, including but not limited to burglary, robbery, civil disorder, or evasion of law enforcement. Using this service to monitor police response times for criminal purposes is a violation of federal law.
You may not use information obtained from these feeds to identify, track, stalk, harass, threaten, or embarrass any private citizen, patient, victim, or public safety official.
You may not sell, resell, lease, license, or redistribute the audio content. This includes re-streaming to platforms such as Broadcastify, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Live, or private Discord servers without express written authorization from Beacon Mid-Atlantic.
You may not use bots, spiders, or automated scripts to scrape audio data for the purpose of training Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, transcription algorithms, or voice cloning software.
Users are solely responsible for understanding the laws regarding "Mobile Scanners" in their jurisdiction. BeaconHEAR strictly prohibits the use of this service to further the commission of a crime or to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Important Technical Distinction
BeaconHEAR is a web-based streaming service, not a physical radio receiver. However, many state laws were written decades before smartphones existed. Legal interpretations remain vague, and there have been documented instances where drivers using "scanner apps" on phones connected to vehicle audio systems were cited under these laws.
Do not assume that using a phone app makes you immune to "Scanner in Vehicle" laws.
BeaconHEAR expressly disclaims all liability for users cited, arrested, or fined for utilizing this service in a motor vehicle in violation of state or local vehicle codes.
The audio provided is a direct relay of public safety transmissions. You are strictly prohibited from:
THIS SERVICE IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR 911.
The BeaconHEAR network relies on complex hardware, software, and internet infrastructure. Feeds are subject to significant latency (delay), buffering, power outages, and internet disruptions.
Waiver of Liability: You acknowledge that Beacon Mid-Atlantic owes no "Duty to Rescue" or "Duty to Warn." We are not responsible for any injury, death, or property damage resulting from:
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Beacon Mid-Atlantic, its officers, directors, volunteers, donors, and infrastructure partners from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that such parties may incur as a result of or arising from your (or anyone using your account's) violation of these Terms or your use of the BeaconHEAR service.