New UK emergency alert system discussion

[JAperson]

Weirdly, I am in a way looking forward to receiving this test alert, it's a clever piece of technology and I haven't experienced it before. Hopefully tests are the only time I ever actually have to see it but it's a system that should exist.

 

[BigShadowtinytree]

This is interesting. Unsurprisingly the tin foil hatters have come out in their droves to make out it’s something it isn’t.

 

[Slugjc]

Seen plenty of videos on the YouTube by people who are just paranoid about everything. Seemingly see fine about using a corporate giant to put there videos on.

 

[Skyscraper]

One week to go!

 

[BigT]

I’m not normally the sceptical type but I’m not really sure of the reasons behind this? We aren’t really under any threat other than nuclear apocalypse from Russia when an advanced warning isn’t really going to be any use.
I just don’t trust the powers that be for this not to be turned into another advertisement stream and advertising to be pushed to our phones.
I wouldn’t put it past this government or any other not to sell this capability.

 

[Joel]

Heeeeeere we go again…

Many threats exist out there in the UK, from flooding, fire, other man made environmental disasters (eg chemical spills), to even freak tornados and storms, or even things like “boil water” safety orders due to leaks or other chemical issues. How about things like the riots in the UK many years ago?

These are just a few where this system would be helpful and allow for quick efficient communication.

There are even many hidden dangers around you that you might not know about - was I aware that there was a MoD rocket engine testing facility a few miles from me that currently operates a loud siren for a chemical leak or other life threatening event that requires you to stay indoors? Well I didn’t until a neighbour told me why I could hear a distant siren going off every month for a minute.

But guess what - this amazing new system would give the power for the government to alert me and many others (who might be visiting the area and have no idea what the siren means!) if there was an incident at the facility and what it was and what we would need to do, instead of a rather unhelpful siren sounding.

As to how it will be used - like any system, abuse will just lead to people disabling the alerts triggering on their devices (if they weren’t foolish and disabled them now anyway) making them ineffective anyway, and complaints to authorities such as Ofcom who still have the power to investigate.

It’s not going to be used for things like advertising, it will be treated with exactly the same care as existing emergency alert systems such as emergency TV broadcasts or warning sirens… pretty certain nobody had thought let’s just sound the air raid sirens for some fun to let people know that they should go and vote in the elections or something.

This is just typical tin foil hat thinking, and the test will come and go next weekend, there will be a big fuss about it for the day and then everyone will forget about it and move on as usual.

 

[rob666]

I’m not normally the sceptical type but I’m not really sure of the reasons behind this? We aren’t really under any threat other than nuclear apocalypse from Russia when an advanced warning isn’t really going to be any use.
I just don’t trust the powers that be for this not to be turned into another advertisement stream and advertising to be pushed to our phones.
I wouldn’t put it past this government or any other not to sell this capability.

The only two places I have heard anything against the (free) service is you and the Mail on Sunday.
Otherwise, support seems positive...
I'm a troglodyte, and even here in the cave, without a mobile phone, I think it is a good idea.

 

[BigT]

The only two places I have heard anything against the (free) service is you and the Mail on Sunday.
Otherwise, support seems positive...
I'm a troglodyte, and even here in the cave, without a mobile phone, I think it is a good idea.

I didn’t say I was against it I’m just sceptical of its use.

Coming to your phone soon “sloppy joes in your area two for one on belly busters” or worse used for party political broadcasts.

 

[Skyscraper]

I didn’t say I was against it I’m just sceptical of its use.

Coming to your phone soon “sloppy joes in your area two for one on belly busters” or worse used for party political broadcasts.

As @Joel said, this system will not be used for advertising. Alerts can only be sent by the government and emergency services, and will only be sent when absolutely necessary.

 

[jon81uk]

I didn’t say I was against it I’m just sceptical of its use.

Coming to your phone soon “sloppy joes in your area two for one on belly busters” or worse used for party political broadcasts.

In the US the system is used a lot more for things that some people see as emergencies but aren’t really. I was at Orlando airport waiting to depart and the siren noise went off on almost everyone’s phones (mine included) and the alert was for a missing child. Which in my opinion isn’t enough of an emergency to warrant use.

So I wouldn’t worry about advertising. Just the definition of emergencies might be loosened, but in general the UK is better at things than the US so I expect it will only be used in the situations listed at https://www.gov.uk/alerts

 

[Stuie]

I’m not normally the sceptical type but I’m not really sure of the reasons behind this? We aren’t really under any threat other than nuclear apocalypse from Russia when an advanced warning isn’t really going to be any use.
I just don’t trust the powers that be for this not to be turned into another advertisement stream and advertising to be pushed to our phones.
I wouldn’t put it past this government or any other not to sell this capability.

If it was in use at the time of the pandemic, it would have been an effective way to update us on the current restrictions and lockdowns etc.

 

[Rick]

I didn’t say I was against it I’m just sceptical of its use.

Coming to your phone soon “sloppy joes in your area two for one on belly busters” or worse used for party political broadcasts.

I think the best protection against it being used for such things is that it renders it fairly useless for its intended purpose because people would simply switch it off.

One imagines that Photoshopped alternative messages will be shared in Whatsapp groups discussing who really built the pyramids within minutes of the test.

It never fails to amaze me that people are so quick to jump on stuff like this when so much mad shit that the government is actually doing goes under the radar.

 

[RicketyCricket]

I've had a few of these before when travelling America. Scared the crap out of me the first time. One's I remember...

- Abducted child in Brooklyn. Said to look out for a suspicious car (stated colour and model)
- Servere weather warning in Misouri. Nothing happened, just a bit of rain

The alarm noise is quite unnerving but I'm not against it. The child abduction alert could have been very effective considering thousands of people in the area would have got the message.

 

[Dave]

It’s also worth remembering that it can send out local alerts so we are not just talking national disaster here.

Best example I can think of is that dam that nearly collapsed a few years back. This system could have warned people in that specific area.

 

[Stuie]

It’s also worth remembering that it can send out local alerts so we are not just talking national disaster here.

Best example I can think of is that dam that nearly collapsed a few years back. This system could have warned people in that specific area.

Localised alerts for things like flooding where life is in danger etc. It could even be used for things like the Brixton crushing to tell people that there are casualties and the show had been cancelled. It doesn't have to be limited to national disasters and I think it's a useful too to have in the box.

 

[BigT]

I’m sorry but I still see very little use, twitter will have informed everyone an hour before any of these messages get sent out as some job’s worth will take an age to actually send out any real useful information.

Also imagine how many car accidents are going to be caused by people looking at their mobiles whilst driving, it’s ingrained human behaviour now to pick the phone up and have a sneaky peek when the phone beeps.

I haven’t turned it off yet personally but if I start to get messages all of the time then it’s going to get turned off.

 

[Alsty]

Twitter. Well known for being a reliable source of truth

 

[Burbs]

I haven’t turned it off yet personally but if I start to get messages all of the time then it’s going to get turned off.

Good thing you won't then!

 

[BigT]

Twitter. Well known for being a reliable source of truth

And the government is any better?

 

[Rick]

And the government is any better?

To clarify, are you asking if the UK government, with all the scrutiny applied to it by a skeptical society and a free press peddles more nonsense than Twitter ?

Just checking.