Public emergency alerts to be sent to all UK smartphones on 23rd April

hollymcr

TheBanker said:

Firstly, it should be opt-in, not opt-out. Publicity would make people aware of the service and give them the choice.

As the publicity allows people to opt-out anyway if they want to the only difference is in the default for those who don't know or don't care, which I imagine will be the majority. For this to be useful opt-out makes the most sense.

I think of it as a modern (and way cheaper) alternative to a siren and tannoy system (which you wouldn't be able to opt out of).

TheBanker said:

I fear it will actually be used for trivial things

Maybe so, but to me *that* is the time at which I would disable the alerts, not pre-emptively just in case. (And since far too many people would then do exactly that, I see that as the reason they're unlikely to over-use it. Of-course then cue lots of complaints that X happened and they should have been notified...)

TheBanker said:

In terms of missing people, I would not object to targeted alerts if the person is deemed to be very high risk and the Police think it's appropriate. In the olden days they'd make an announcement on the local radio, [...]

I think this is the key. In the past there were other almost universal options that simply don't exist as universally now. Even on social media, my experience of Facebook is that if it presents me with time sensitive news on my feed, underneath it'll say something like "2 days ago".

In the end I see this as a useful tool in the local/national government toolbox that can either be used well or badly, and if it turns out to be the latter I'll disable it. If it had a lower tier of alert (something that everyone got but without the siren) then I can absolutely see that being misused ("your area is now in Tier 3 of lockdowns!") but the fact that it comes with a siren means that over-use is far less likely.

Grey_Critic

Like the boy who called Wolf. At some point there wiull be a genuine emergency and all those who find this test an inconvenience and demand they have to opt in will moan why they were not told.

They do the test - a one off - and you will know what it sounds like. They don't plan on doing it every day. Get a life instead of moaning about it.

Chris_Jay

@ Jackie black According to the people who knew about this (I didn't) it's at 3 pm on Sunday, just in the UK.

Countries with high-risk events, like Japan, already have an alarm system in place.

Martin_the_Unjust

Grey_Critic said:

Like the boy who called Wolf. At some point there wiull be a genuine emergency and all those who find this test an inconvenience and demand they have to opt in will moan why they were not told.

They do the test - a one off - and you will know what it sounds like. They don't plan on doing it every day. Get a life instead of moaning about it.

What’s the view like from up on your high horse?

Chris_Jay

Grumpy Chap - I remember, as a child in the sixties, the siren would sound at 11am every Sunday, but oddly, I don't remember when they stopped.

twopenny

Considering the complete incompetance of the government during the pandemic I don't have high hopes for this.

I live in a rural part, we can get alerts for flooding, storms and such like that affect us. That's long been established.

We are aware of any trouble socially.

And if it's a nucular attack we are in direct line for non survival.

The government/s were supposed to have prepared for a pandemic 20yrs ago but didn't. Presumably they still haven't. I'd rather they did so.

So what are the alerts for? What will they say? That seems to be what's missing for this scenario

facade

twopenny said:

<snip>

So what are the alerts for? What will they say? That seems to be what's missing for this scenario

It is covered on the  dot gov page linked in the first post

• severe flooding
• fires
• extreme weather

Probably they won't bother with nuclear attack, as when Japan actually had a potential nuclear missile incoming and activated their alert, it just caused a lot of moaning and fuss when the missile fell short.

I'm looking forwards to Sunday, I will make sure both my backup 'phones are on as well to find out what happens (or doesn't) with a non-smart phone as well as an old 'phone.

tempus_fugit

Grey_Critic said:

Like the boy who called Wolf. At some point there wiull be a genuine emergency and all those who find this test an inconvenience and demand they have to opt in will moan why they were not told.

They do the test - a one off - and you will know what it sounds like. They don't plan on doing it every day. Get a life instead of moaning about it.

Exhorting people to "get a life" just because they are not happy with this is a bit strong, isn't it? I don't make assumptions about how you live your life because of your viewpoint and I don't think it's fair for you to do so either. You know nothing about my life.

flaneurs_lobster

I'm thinking that the optimum place to get the best full-on Emergency Alert Experience would be in a big crowd. Newcastle v Spurs (ko 2:00pm) looks a goer. 

MikeyPGT

facade said:

twopenny said:

<snip>

So what are the alerts for? What will they say? That seems to be what's missing for this scenario

It is covered on the  dot gov page linked in the first post

• severe flooding
• fires
• extreme weather

Probably they won't bother with nuclear attack, as when Japan actually had a potential nuclear missile incoming and activated their alert, it just caused a lot of moaning and fuss when the missile fell short.

I'm looking forwards to Sunday, I will make sure both my backup 'phones are on as well to find out what happens (or doesn't) with a non-smart phone as well as an old 'phone.

Going to have to be pretty severe severe flooding if it's going to affect the whole country!  Maybe they know somehting we don't about climate change ...