TAG Protect - New Standard (Discussion)

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TAG recently sent out the following email, detailing a new standard for “kosher” phones - phones can only be called “kosher” if they implement AI blocking.

TAG Communiqué

Dear Valued TAG Customer,

We are writing to update you on a new development. Due to new dangers stemming from AI access via call and text, merely blocking Internet alone in a basic phone is no longer sufficient. To be fully protected, AI numbers must be blocked as well.

TAG has created a product known as TAG Protect which implements blocking of AI as well as other inappropriate numbers on basic phones. Doing so was a model-by-model process and took a few months. BH at this point, we are pleased to inform you that there are more than 10 popular basic phone models which are TAG Protect-compatible, with more models in the pipeline.

With this in mind, we have implemented a new standard for basic phones to be serviced and kashered in TAG Lakewood: They need to have TAG Protect compatibility. Starting Tuesday, September 1st, (19 Elul), we will no longer be servicing basic phones which are not compatible with TAG Protect.

Please see the attached PDF (image below) for the updated list of basic phones.

To see a list of ALL phones which have TAG Protect (including heimishe phones), or for more info about TAG Protect, please {google it}.

Thank you for trusting TAG.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it so important that I have TAG Protect on my phone if I have never called or texted AI before?

· Our gedolim have identified AI as the next frontier of the challenge of technology. For teenagers and even children, calling and texting AI has been a huge michshol since it came out. Our experience has shown that that even an adult’s phone can and often will be accessible to children and teenagers. Therefore, at the behest of the gedolim, we have developed this solution with the goal of creating a new standard for the frum tzibbur.

Won’t this deter people from protecting themselves? If someone has a phone that is not compatible with TAG Protect, isn’t it better that at least they should have it filtered?

· That’s a great question! Absolutely, a filtered phone is necessary, and an unfiltered phone is not an option. However, when instituting broad policy, daas Torah weighs the tzibur over the yachid. Setting a new standard for the tzibur often may cause challenges for the yachid until a “new norm” sets in – and only daas Torah can make that cheshbon. This is how the Vaad HaRabbanim of TAG Lakewood, Rav Henoch Shachar shlita, Rav Uri Deutsch shlita, and Rav Chaim Meir Roth shlita, advised TAG Lakewood to proceed.

I already bought an LG Classic and cannot return it. Why can’t I be accommodated?

· We get it. It’s frustrating to spend money on a device that you can’t use. That is why we have given a grace period till September 1st so our customers have time to adjust to the new standard.

I brought my Kyocera 4810 Extreme to TAG a year ago to have the Internet removed. Is my phone protected from AI? Do I need to buy a new one?

· You do not need to purchase a new phone. It just needs to be brought back to TAG for an update to get TAG Protect on it.

This screengrab of an AI enhanced webpage was included with the email.

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Going forward (as of 9/1/2026), any certified “kosher” phone will have to implement AI blocking.

Just to point out a few obvious technical difficulties with the implementation:

  1. “Offline” devices would still need to be updated with current lists.
  2. This requirement shouldn’t be limited to mobile phones. If TAG is adopting a new standard, it should apply to any device capable of placing phone calls, including landlines. Filtering landline phones requires a VOIP, which introduces new issue of “kashrus” to the home.

While, understandably, the AI call and text issue must be addressed on a communal level, it is very difficult given the two challenges delineated above. Who has any ideas to address these two issues?

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:zany_face:

By offline you mean talk/text no data?

Maybe some sorta hidden sms convo that receives updates that the system is programmed to parse and add to the list?

Coockoo? Probably (haven’t had my 65 coffees yet)

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I guess my next phone WILL NOT BE FILTERED BY TAG!!! YAY :joy:

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Is this only for Lakewood?
@Moshe

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they aren’t fighting on the computer because once you are online with a computer it becomes a whole another step

i think this is the only tech organization who actually says who their rabbis are

they could only push what people are going to accept

its going to be a problem but

  1. Which plan doesn’t have data
    2.And if there is they have to start somewhere

do you really need ai calling and texting?
is your current phone filtered by tag
they are talking about basic phones not smartphones

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Are there any apps out there that we can use to filter then on android phones without getting this done by TAG.

I know eGate doesn’t have something like this as of now.

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Probably. I do not see it in any notes or announcements.

As always, each tag office have their own daas torah for the rules in their office and there is no universal rules that all offices must follow

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can you explain your question?

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I had started building a call screener app that would query TAG protect, but abandoned it mainly due to lack of time… just throwing it out there if anyone wants to contribute. It is still in a very early stage, and no doubt our experienced claude coders can whip up something from scratch in less time than it would take for them to read my code…

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yeps™

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Since this topic is called discussion, I’ll throw in my unwanted 2 cents. If the moderators think it’s too controversial for the forums, just delete it.

  1. Some Parents (aka non teenagers) don’t really NEED or feel like they need a filter. They’re not scrolling in a 2 inch non touchscreen phone.
  2. Many many teenagers don’t want filters and any excuse is enough for them.
  3. Many teenagers use AI a lot and it’s a deal breaker
  4. AI isn’t that bad (at all - unless you’re a stupid bored slow dumb idiot)
  5. People don’t like spending money to buy new hardware for some new rule they don’t like
  6. Most people, right it wrong, use AI and don’t care/believe that there are issues.

Given that all (or even if only some of these) are true, that means that a huge crowd just won’t filter their phones. Which makes this decision dumb from a practical standpoint (and wrong)

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Right and you can say the same on blocking video on a flip phone. But despite all this, almost all tag offices do that.

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Mostly agree with this, although regarding this -

for a bachur in yeshiva it can be very distracting, not to mention that it can talk about things that are best to be discussed with a parent or teacher etc.

and regarding this i definitely agree

100% especially since if people want they can use a phone plan that blocks AI numbers…

either ways that was

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I guess you’re right on that.. although a huge factor didn’t exist there which is requiring new hardware. (Unless some phones they couldn’t block video?)

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I think video can be blocked on all phones (unless the phones thay can not block video is not listed as a device that can be filtered)

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Free to state your opinions doesn’t mean i agree so here goes

EVERYONE NEEDS A FILTER and either way most non tanagers have a smartphone and this isn’t on smartphones

they may not want but peer and parental pressure is to have one if they don’t want one they would go buy another phone and i think most people do want filters

they said this by citifield and look where we are and many teenagers watch and listen to bad stuff the trade off is worth it they would rather a fig instead of a kyocera tag doesn’t do apps and look what phones is the most bought

exactly what there people are i have seen stories

your word vs

i will side with them

they aren’t saying buy a new phone actually to the contrary

being being kosher costs money webchaver and techloq $120 gentech costs $180 kosher meat costs at least $10 more

the teenagers aren’t paying for it
did you read what they wrote this is for phones coming out you don’t have to take it in to get it redone

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First let me say 2 points.

  1. I didn’t say most people will stay unfiltered. I’m saying a big enough crowd which makes me think this decision is stupid.
  2. Not every one of my points are enough for themselves. It’s a combination.

it’s irrelevant if everyone needs a filter (although that is true. A grown adult usually isn’t watching YouTube on a TCL browser. Everyone’s different). I said that not everyone THINKS they need one. And therefore, along with my other points which may make it discomforting now to get one, they might not.

That’s definitely true most of the time. Not all the time at all. Look how many teenagers already today just didn’t filter their tcl’s (I’m not talking about second phones)

Please don’t make me comment on this. It’ll be ugly :joy:

Again, it’s just another reason why there will be more people that don’t filter. More than what there already is (which is more than some people realize)

That’s not what I was saying. I said someone that has all those attributes. Not one. And regarding your stories, I heard some true and false ones too. Minority and all by the people with the attributes I described above. And usually also combined is that these people are from close minded families though not always.

You’re definitely entitled to your opinions. I do think the rabbis don’t know what AI is. But I really don’t want to get into this. This was already discussed on the forums once.

This is totally dumb. You quoted the part regarding the phones that they can update. My point was about the other ones.

Again, this was referring to buying new phones. Not just installing filters. (While there are people who don’t wanna pay to install filters altogether, that’s a much smaller minority than the case here where) like I said, it would mean buying a new phone (which btw besides the cost , for some people it’s a big move) and especially here where it’s something that they might not believe in - as pointed out in point 6 which you ignored which is arguably the strongest one or one of the strongest which is that weather they are right or wrong, people did not go for it. That might be terrible, but that’s just the way it is. And therefore, that’s another huge reason especially when it includes buying a new phone etc…

I hope I’m done with this. I have opinions even though I don’t often express them. I like arguing a little bit here and there but I’m not interested in a never ending argument

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While everyone’s opinion is very important. I was hoping the discussion would focus on the feasibility of implementing tag’s recommendations, with ideas and suggestions, rather than debating whether they ought to be implemented in the first place.

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Adults know they need a filter and kids there is enough peer and parental pressure also what is the option not to

that maybe true but i don’t agree with any so there is combination

has a smartphone this isn’t targeting them

correct not youtube because that is open on the computer but they are watching…

is that the majority or minority?

it worked. Most got filters

i know personally

you don’t have to buy a new phone just when your old one breaks this is what will also be blocked

i would have just jtech wasn’t functioning properly the people that are buying the phones parents have an opinion about texting and calling, on the computer people didn’t go for it but on phones the people with the basic phones will listen because that’s what the rabbis said

nobody is saying buy a new phone just all tag approved phones now have this

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