History Main / ElectromagneticGhosts

* In response to a supernatural event in ''[[{{FEAR}} F.E.A.R.]]'', your radio crackles and "unknown origin" is shown as the source of the transmission. Alma also appears on monitors occasionally, like a visual equivalent of an EVP.

* In ''[[Creator/TerryPratchett Johnny and the Dead]]'', the Dead are able to manipulate, damage, or generally mess around with radios, telephones, televisions, arcade games, jukeboxes, computer networks, satellites, and radio telescopes. Justified because one of them was an electronics genius in life, while another is Albert Einstein's distant cousin.
* TimPowers is fond of this trope. In his ''Fault Lines'' trilogy, ghosts can call people up on phones and appear on TV talk shows (at least, on the version being watched by the person they're haunting).

* TimPowers is fond of this trope. In his Fault Lines trilogy, ghosts can call people up on phones and appear on TV talk shows (at least, on the version being watched by the person they're haunting).

* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' normally invisible ghosts show up on camcorder screens and EMF detectors are used by ghost hunters.

* Many of the powers in GhostMaster are electrical in nature such as blow fuse,blackout, wild and crazy and strange behaviour. Technology is also one the 'fetters' or places ghosts [[HauntedTechnology can be anchored]].

* And as we've seen in MarbleHornets, trying to film him tends to make it worse. \
* Jay Are's backpack in TheLeagueOfSTEAM is supposedly a device for picking up [=EVP=]s.

* ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill'' (remake): Ghosts show up on a camcorder screen just before murdering a contestant.

* In ''{{FEAR}}'', your radio crackles and "unknown origin" is shown as the transmission source in response to supernatural events. Alma also appears on monitors occasionally.
** In FEAR 3 [[spoiler: Alma's contractions cause an EMP like effect.]]

* Rotom from the {{Pokemon}} series.

* The original ''SilentHill'' had a radio which gave off static in the presence of monsters.

* The titular ''{{Ghostbusters}}'' use a device that measures electromagnetic disruption to locate ghosts.

Not to be confused with GhostInTheMachine. See also HauntedTechnology for when the ghost is actually inhabiting the machines. This trope covers any supernatural activity that makes electrical systems malfunction as a side effect of their presence.

When they're not tormenting humans or scaring pets, ghosts are interfering with technology, appearing on video screens, making radios and [=TVs=] crackle and playing with the lights. Alongside [[GhostlyChill cold spots]], EM interference is one of the 'recognised' signs of a haunting. One variation, known as EVP (electronic voice phenomena), specifically involves anomalous voices or other sounds on electronic audio recordings.

Not to be confused with GhostInTheMachine. See also HauntedTechnology for when the ghost is actually inhabiting the machines. This trope covers any supernatural activity that makes electrical systems malfunction as a side effect of their presence.

[[folder: Literature]]
* In ''[[TerryPratchett Johnny and the Dead]]'', the Dead are able to manipulate, damage, or generally mess around with radios, telephones, televisions, arcade games, jukeboxes, computer networks, satellites, and radio telescopes. Justified because one of them was an electronics genius in life, while another is Albert Einstein's distant cousin.

* ''TabletopGame/GeistTheSinEaters'' affords ghosts several Numina that allow them to do this, such as Ghost Sign (imprint a message in a medium) or Left-Handed Spanner (make technology go haywire). As such, several Sin-Eaters have necromantic Ceremonies that rely on these tropes, like Spectral Photography (take a photograph of an area, get a glimpse of the most dynamic ghost activity that happened in the last few days) and Dead Voices on Air (leave a specially-prepared camera behind, and it will capture whatever ghostly activity occurs in the meantime).

* While most supernaturalness in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' and ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'' is [[spoiler: inside Isaacs head]] ''something'' is interfering with RIG transmissions.
* Many of the powers in GhostMaster are electrical in nature such as blow fuse,blackout, wild and crazy and strange behaviour. Technology is also one the 'fetters' or places ghosts [[HauntedTechnology can be anchored]].
* The original ''SilentHill'' had a radio which gave off static in the presence of monsters.

* In ''SengokuBasara'' 3, [[TheWoobie Oichi]] has a similar "static effect" sometimes when she speaks, in a reference to this phenomenon.

* Taping [=EVPs=] and snapping photos of ghosts is a crucial part of ''The Lost Crown: A Ghost-Hunting Adventure''.
* Rotom from the Pokémon series.

When they're not tormenting humans or scaring pets, ghosts are interfering with technology, appearing on video screens, making radios and [=TVs=] crackle and playing with the lights. Alongside [[GhostlyChill cold spots]], E.M interference is one of the 'recognised' signs of a haunting.

[[folder:Urban legends and 'real' life.]]
* E.V.P(Electronic Voice Phenomena)- anomalous voices or other sounds on electronic audio recordings.
[[/folder]]

* The [[TheSlenderManMythos Slender Man]] is often shown to muck up electronic equipment, causing static, audio and visual distortion, missing frames, added frames, and general horror. A video camera is also a way to see him when he is otherwise invisible. [[YourMileageMayVary Your Mileage May Vary]] on whether that makes it better or worse, since he could always be watching you and you wouldn't even know unless you have a camera.

* The [[TheSlenderManMythos Slender Man]] is often shown to muck up electronic equipment, causing static, audio and visual distortion, missing frames, added frames, and general HighOctaneNightmareFuel. A video camera is also a way to see him when he is otherwise invisible. [[YourMileageMayVary Your Mileage May Vary]] on whether that makes it better or worse, since he could always be watching you and you wouldn't even know unless you have a camera.

* In ''[[TerryPratchett Johnny and the Dead]]'', the Dead are able to manipulate, damage, or generally mess around with the telephone, television, arcade game, jukebox, computer network and radio telescope. Justified because one of them was an electronics genius in life, while another is Albert Einstein's distant cousin.

* In ''[[TheJohnnyMaxwellTrilogy Johnny and the Dead]]'', the Dead are able to manipulate, damage, or generally mess around with the telephone, television, arcade game, jukebox and radio telescope. Justified because one of them was an electronics genius in life, while another is Albert Einstein's distant cousin.

* And as we've seen in MarbleHornets, trying to film him tends to make it worse.

* ''HouseOnHauntedHill'' (remake): Ghosts show up on a camcorder screen just before murdering a contestant.

* ''TabletopGame/TheWorldOfDarkness'' affords ghosts several Numina that allow them to do this, such as Ghost Sign (imprint a message in a medium) or Left-Handed Spanner (make technology go haywire). As such, several [[TabletopGame/GeistTheSinEaters Sin-Eaters]] have necromantic Ceremonies that rely on these tropes, like Spectral Photography (take a photograph of an area, get a glimpse of the most dynamic ghost activity that happened in the last few days) and Dead Voices on Air (leave a specially-prepared camera behind, and it will capture whatever ghostly activity occurs in the meantime).

* In one rather odd inversion from the 80s horror-comedy ''House'' (no, not [[{{House}} that one]]), the protagonist sees a ghostly image of his missing child through a window. He'd been watching TV, and for no readily-apparent reason he points his remote control at the image and clicks it... at which point, the ghost-child flicks out like he's turned it off! [[spoiler: Probably justified, as all the hauntings turn out to be the work of an old war buddy's ghost, that was [[MindScrew messing with his head any way it could]].]]

* ''TheWorldOfDarkness'' affords ghosts several Numina that allow them to do this, such as Ghost Sign (imprint a message in a medium) or Left-Handed Spanner (make technology go haywire). As such, several [[GeistTheSinEaters Sin-Eaters]] have necromantic Ceremonies that rely on these tropes, like Spectral Photography (take a photograph of an area, get a glimpse of the most dynamic ghost activity that happened in the last few days) and Dead Voices on Air (leave a specially-prepared camera behind, and it will capture whatever ghostly activity occurs in the meantime).

* While most supernaturalness in ''DeadSpace'' and ''DeadSpace2'' is [[spoiler: inside Isaacs head]] ''something'' is interfering with RIG transmissions.

* In ''{{Supernatural}}'' normally invisible ghosts show up on camcorder screens and EMF detectors are used by ghost hunters.

* Depending on the production, the ending of ''Theater/BlitheSpirit'' as ghosts Elvira and Ruth destroy the house.

* Rotm form the Pokémon series.