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Original poster

Phone alert

90 replies

Noddy21 · 16/04/2023 09:00

Can anyone explain to me why people are so against having an alert sent to their phones. I understand it’s a strange thing to set up if it is for what they say it’s is for ie floods and earthquakes etc, I believe it’s incase we go to war. But I see people saying it’s a way of the government trying to control us, I don’t see how it’s control. This is a genuine question and not to be controversial.

OP posts:

EssexMamisoa · 16/04/2023 09:48

I don’t see the issue

Floofydawg · 16/04/2023 09:50

Well personally I don't want the alarm potentially scaring the shit out of me if I'm driving at the time. I've turned it off in my settings.

horridjobescapee · 16/04/2023 09:53

I don't want any communication to my phone that I haven't explicitly agreed to.

I struggle with focus (adhd) and don't have my phone on audible alerts when I'm trying to focus as it will completely wreck me for some considerable time.

Whyisitdarkalready · 16/04/2023 09:58

I think also people are worried on behalf of abuse victims who have maybe hidden a phone from their abusive partner which will obviously signal where it's hidden.

Personally I think it's a good thing to have an alert, but only if it's used sparingly for really serious emergencies (so hopefully never)!

Needmorelego · 16/04/2023 09:59

I don't understand the fuss either (except for those who have hidden phones for safety reasons and need to know to switch the system off).
It's just a 21st century version of a News Flash on TV/Radio. Or even a modern version of the bloke on a bike in WW1 who rode around with a whistle/football rattle and shouting "Air Raid". Or a Town Crier "Hear Ye, Hear Ye" 🙂
Many people don't watch live TV or listen to live Radio so if an important message needs to reach a large area or population quickly this phone version is just another way to do it.
After the test most people will probably never hear the alarm again.
A load of fuss over nothing.

TheyIndeed · 16/04/2023 10:01

I don't really care.

HOWEVER, I feel like an emergency text message system would achieve the same result in a safer way.

I am not particularly looking forward to the day I'm driving merrily along and someone bashes into me because they were startled by an alarm that they then had to switch off.

Needmorelego · 16/04/2023 10:09

@TheyIndeed I believe the alarm goes for 10 seconds - it doesn't keep wailing away.
You then can't use your phone until you have clicked on to see what the alert was for but you don't need to look at it straight away. A lot of people might not even hear the alarm (if they are in a particularly noisy place - like driving a car) but when they next go to use their phone they will realise there was an alert and will read it then.

MobyJeff · 16/04/2023 10:10

I don’t really care either, but I believe my phone is too old for it to work anyway. But I really, really want to know the stats for how many people have opted out, and how that compares to other countries.

horridjobescapee · 16/04/2023 10:12

What does it give that a text message wouldn't? Is it just that it's loud?

Original poster

Noddy21 · 16/04/2023 10:15

Thanks for all your replies, I felt like I wasn’t understanding something with all the fuss about it, we know when and how the test will be done so it won’t be a surprise. Can anyone explain why I’ve seen that it’s the government trying to control us, that I really can’t get my head around

OP posts:

Original poster

Noddy21 · 16/04/2023 10:16

What I am scared about is that the government think we will be attacked soon so need to be alerted to war.

OP posts:

Sparklfairy · 16/04/2023 10:17

I'm meeting a friend later who 1) refuses to watch the news so will have no idea about the alert, and 2) will have the knee jerk reaction of 'well, I'll be turning that shit off' when I tell him about it.

We have the sort of relationship that I'll have fun ribbing him about exactly why he wants to opt out, all good natured. He leans towards the 'I don't want the government tracking me' mentality so it'll amuse me for a bit winding him up.

I'm aware I need to find a better hobby

Needmorelego · 16/04/2023 10:18

@Noddy21 this system has existed in several countries for years already. I don't think this has anything to do with war.

Sparklfairy · 16/04/2023 10:22

Noddy21 · 16/04/2023 10:16

What I am scared about is that the government think we will be attacked soon so need to be alerted to war.

It might well be. The news has been very careful to say it will only be used when there's a threat to life i.e. extreme weather or terrorist attack in the local area. Nuclear war hasn't been mentioned except by Eamonn Holmes

Many other countries with extreme weather have already had this setup for years, and sceptics have said our weather isn't 'extreme enough' so why do we need it? Our weather has got more extreme though and deaths during storms etc are not unheard of.

I think it's a combination of more extreme weather and vaguely possible nuclear threat that has caused this to be launched now, rather than the govt thinking they'll get round to it at some point.

Timeforchangeithink · 16/04/2023 10:26

I have switched mine off. I live in Scotland nowhere near the sea and I can look out the window for the weather. It feels unnecessary to me and after the covid restrictions I weirdly feel its more control although I can't quite articulate why.

Costaflatwhite · 16/04/2023 10:29

I'm glad we have the alerts. I've had alerts set up on my phone for extreme weather for a long time now e g. Risk of flood, storms, heavy snow. If there was a natural disaster or war threat I would want to know about it asap so I can get myself and family to safety. Why would you not?

NeverTrustAPoliceman · 16/04/2023 10:31

I have no problem with it. One of my relatives is alive because they got an alert in another country, others died because they didn't.

It's not a way of the government controlling us, they are far too incompetent for that.

CreepyQueen · 16/04/2023 10:32

I've read that once the alarm starts you have to acknowledge it, you cannot use your phone until you do.

So many people don't want technology on their phones that allows the government to block their usage of their phones?

Not sure if it's true but that's what I read.

Needmorelego · 16/04/2023 10:49

@CreepyQueen yes you can't use your phone until you acknowledge the message (probably by clicking "ok") but the actual siren sound stops after 10 seconds.

Whendovescry03 · 16/04/2023 10:50

I've turned it off just because it seems annoying to have all phones loudly going off on Sunday. I'll turn it back on afterwards so if there is an actual emergency I'll know about it. Why do they need to do a test?

I was wondering about the various situations where its going to cause a problem. I was reading that football officials are working out a plan as there will be stadiums full of people, and what about places like the cinema? I wonder if they'll re-jig the schedules so no films are showing at 3pm.

BitOutOfPractice · 16/04/2023 10:54

I do think it’s a strange thought to think “the government” can take control of all our phones at once. And I am a million miles away from a conspiracy theorist.

it also seems an odd time to do it. Just when hundreds of thousands of people are gathering to watch football with 3pm kick off. Or maybe that’s why that time was chosen - to see if it works in large crowds. Tbh I’ll be amazed if it does work - mobile networks are shocking in this country.

Needmorelego · 16/04/2023 10:56

@CreepyQueen the government can "control" our phones anyway. They can order phone towers to be switched off, certain landlines to be switched off.
I once read an old book about what the government can do when there is a national emergency (it was way old - from the 60s). There is (or was) a way that all landlines could be switched off except for phone box ones and government departments. This was so the system wouldn't become overwhelmed with everyone in the country trying to phone each other which could crash the whole system - but emergency services, government etc need to be able to communicate so it keeps certain lines active for them.
The modern version of this would be switching certain mobile phone towers off if needed.
That book was fascinating.... I wish I still had it.

brooksidebackside · 16/04/2023 10:57

I have complex PTSD and already live with periods of hyper vigilance. I try to minimise these as much as possible by creating a clam and safe environment with as few unexpected or intrusive things as I possibly can. The idea of my phone randomly vibrating giving off an alert isn't something I need so I have switched it off.

I don't think you need to understand why others don't want to have this enabled though. You do you and all that.

Needmorelego · 16/04/2023 10:57

@BitOutOfPractice apparently there is a big football at 5.30 and it being St George's Day there will be parades/church services in the morning so that's why they chose 3pm.

Needmorelego · 16/04/2023 11:02

@brooksidebackside I understand fully why some people won't want the alarm and need to deactivate it but sometimes people do need to know if something is happening that could affect them (ie a large fire at a local factory which is creating toxic fumes so stay indoors and close windows).
You don't have to answer this as I don't want to go against your privacy - but out of curiosity how do you currently find out about emergency situations that may affect you (local flood warnings type thing)?

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