“He’s speaking freely! Get him!”

But the hobby has a long history of being attacked by governments in part because it is resistant to censorship. Amateur radio often works even if a natural disaster or political action takes down internet, cell, and phone services, so it is popular among people interested in search and rescue and doomsday prepping. Amateur radio has been used to share information out of Cuba, for example, and in 2021 the Cuban government jammed HAM radio frequencies during anti-government protests there.

Wonder if governments would try the same with people using stuff like Meshtastic, tho I doubt it could replace something as fail proof as HAM radio.