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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder about the government warning to our phones.

353 replies

TarasHarp55 · 21/03/2023 17:29

Does anyone know much about this emergency warning thing on our phones. Can't remember the exact day but in April they're going to test it out. Is it fear mongering again. I'm going to switch it off, anyone else.

OP posts:
JustFrustrated · 21/03/2023 22:34

So much conspiracy.

I'm just tickled at how long it'll take to silence it on all our phones. House of 4 people and 7 phones 😳

Greenfairydust · 21/03/2023 22:47

What would be the point of these alerts in the UK?

There is nothing you can do in case of a nuclear attack, alert or not.

We don't really get extreme flooding/tsunami/earthquakes like some other countries do.

The amount of disinformation and lies that has come from our government over the past few years, with Covid for example, means that I have zero trust in anything that a Tory government has to say so they can keep their alerts to themselves...

whateverwillbewillbewontit · 21/03/2023 22:53

I have just seen that Refuge have put a video on YouTube on how to switch them off. The fear is that if someone is in a domestic abuse situation and has a 2nd phone, it might alert their partner to its existence.

I imagine there will be plenty of other red faced people too when their secret burner phones go off!

Somuchgoo · 21/03/2023 23:06

Avoid rural Japan btw...

Many communities use loud speakers to boom out the messages across the village/countryside. Obviously it needs testing, but what was a yearly test became monthly, weekly, daily and beyond. And you may as well say something interesting right... That's their rationale anyway.

A village we stayed at had a test at 6.30am (ish), telling everyone it was time to get up and have a productive day 😳

Later there was an announcement telling kids it was time to stop playing out and to go home for dinner!!

Baffling.

Bubblesoffun · 22/03/2023 01:19

It’s hardly the end of the world as you know it. Have got them from the police. On hot days, severe weather warnings. Some on here seem to have a pretty narrow view of the world.

To wonder about the government warning to our phones.
Aishah231 · 22/03/2023 06:24

Meadowflower2023 · 21/03/2023 17:36

I echo what @NBLarsen says. It's about safety for the country at the end of the day. I doubt we'll be alerted unless it's extremely necessary. Surely it's got to be a good thing.

Sorry I don't share your confidence in our government. I think they like us terrified and compliant.

MeanderingGently · 22/03/2023 06:34

....Or you could just switch your 'phone off entirely. I frequently do, I'm more worried about being permanently switched on and at the beck and call of a mobile 'phone than the alarms, actually. Use the test date to have a 'phone-free day entirely and see how much it enhances your life!!

hamstersarse · 22/03/2023 07:05

There are clearly two types of people in this world

one who needs a text message to tell them what the weather is

another who can use their own eyes to see the weather outside

CoffeeBean5 · 22/03/2023 07:08

Hmm but why on St George’s Day though? Quite odd. We don’t need the gov to send alarms and alerts to our phones about the weather. We don’t live in Japan which is known for tsunamis and earthquakes or Australia which is known for bush fires. People who live in towns which are on flood plains already know to be prepared for torrential rain (by watching weather reports or looking them up online).

It’s not a conspiracy to not to trust the government. Things are leaked about hypocritical MPs and how they think the UK public are dumb and compliant (which is true for much of the public) eg the WhatsApp leaks.

ItstheZwartbles · 22/03/2023 07:14

There are clearly two types of people in this world

one who needs a text message to tell them what the weather is

another who can use their own eyes to see the weather outside

You forgot the third. One who has retired parents who are the weather oracle. Seriously I doubt the government will know the weather before my parents.

Lisbeth50 · 22/03/2023 07:21

The government managed to text everyone the stay at home message 3 years ago so surely already gave some sort of capacity to contact us all?

BarrelOfOtters · 22/03/2023 07:25

We have them where I live, you get a text message. Usually it’s weather related, it’s useful. I’ve received them in the States before too.

toomuchlaundry · 22/03/2023 07:26

We are a strange nation. Other normal countries (so not like North Korea) manage absolutely fine with these alerts and ID cards. Mention those sort of things here and people fall apart. Just as well we don’t have the old air raid sirens, wouldn’t be able to turn them off. Although, there are some parts of the country which have sirens which go off periodically, possibly near chemical plants.

Tryingtokeepgoing · 22/03/2023 07:33

MsWhitworth · 21/03/2023 17:43

Terrorist attack, extreme weather, power cut, nuclear missile? You wouldn’t want any warning of these things?

Show quote history

The reality is that, in the UK, the overwhelming cause for alerts will be weather. And as the Met Office seem to classify anything out of the ordinary as ‘extreme’ - such as the minor snowfall a couple of weeks ago - most of the alerts will be completely useless, and just downright annoying. Likewise, what’s the point of being alerted of a nuclear attack? What will you do? Same as power cuts really. What action will you take when you get the alert? Terrorist attacks? Maybe an alert will be useful…but they’re vanishingly rare. Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist, to me. But perhaps my attitude to risk is different to yours :)

Tryingtokeepgoing · 22/03/2023 07:36

And it’s not that I’m against the alerts in principle - we lived in Japan for a number of years and the earthquake / tsunami warnings were sometimes useful. But we just don’t have those sort of events in the UK

allibaby · 22/03/2023 07:38

toomuchlaundry · 22/03/2023 07:26

We are a strange nation. Other normal countries (so not like North Korea) manage absolutely fine with these alerts and ID cards. Mention those sort of things here and people fall apart. Just as well we don’t have the old air raid sirens, wouldn’t be able to turn them off. Although, there are some parts of the country which have sirens which go off periodically, possibly near chemical plants.

It's hardly "falling apart" to switch of these alerts.
I've switched mine off as I don't see the point of them in this country.
I'm also not liking the idea that you can't use your phone unless you acknowledge the alert.
Why would that be necessary?

toomuchlaundry · 22/03/2023 07:39

It could be something like a large chemical spill, so telling you to stay indoors and keep windows shut

User6495321 · 22/03/2023 07:43

Tryingtokeepgoing · 22/03/2023 07:33

The reality is that, in the UK, the overwhelming cause for alerts will be weather. And as the Met Office seem to classify anything out of the ordinary as ‘extreme’ - such as the minor snowfall a couple of weeks ago - most of the alerts will be completely useless, and just downright annoying. Likewise, what’s the point of being alerted of a nuclear attack? What will you do? Same as power cuts really. What action will you take when you get the alert? Terrorist attacks? Maybe an alert will be useful…but they’re vanishingly rare. Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist, to me. But perhaps my attitude to risk is different to yours :)

Show quote history

Exactly, probably every time there is a yellow weather warning or a flurry of snow.

toomuchlaundry · 22/03/2023 07:43

You just have to click ‘ok’, not exactly onerous

GyozaGuiting · 22/03/2023 07:45

These topic has really brought out the conspiracy theorists on Twitter.
It’s used in other countries
It’s helpful to know an entire population has read a message for risk mitigation, resource planning etc
There is no desire to control people, I’ve worked in the MOD and we don’t give a shit about Kevin from Rotherham and what he’s doing.

DogInATent · 22/03/2023 07:47

TarasHarp55 · 21/03/2023 18:24

Who knows, food shortages, NHS collapse, could be anything. What about when we go cashless, no access to your money if you disobey.....

Show quote history

Ever been to Sweden? - cashless works quite well, they've implemented it with a lot of trust in the general population.

User6495321 · 22/03/2023 07:47

The entire population won't have read it though as some don't have phones and others that do have them don't have them constantly glued to their side at all times

Dotjones · 22/03/2023 08:01

I don't agree with some of the comments that alerts are useless and would be no help at all in the event of a nuclear or terrorist attack.

Nuclear attacks may come in many forms and the devestation can range from being localised to one place or the entire country being obliterated. If a limited attack occurs, eg one missle targeting London, warning the whole country (or as many people as possible) will save lives. Not in the target area - they're done for - but there will be people on the edge of the destruction zone who may survive if they are warned to take whatever cover they can. When the bombs were dropped on Japan to successfully end the second world war and save countless lives by encouraging the Japanese to surrender, whether someone lived or died could be as simple as one person kneeling down behind a wall living and the person standing up next to them dying.

A nuclear attack has many facets - the initial blast (unsurvivable nearby), the firestorm that results (flames suck in very strong winds which bring in more oxygen to fuel the flames - you'll probably burn or suffocate), flying debris (survivable if you take cover), radioactive fallout (more survivable if you take precautions). It's not as simple as saying an alert will be useless - it'll be useless for many, but might save some.

Similarly being alerted of a terrorist attack might help. Suppose a noxious substance is released in London - sending alerts telling people to stay indoors and shut windows will save some lives.

The alerts aren't about saving everyone and there seems to be a misguided belief that because some people will receive alerts and still be killed there's no point sending them. Surely it's better for the attack to "only" wipe out a million people instead of killing one and a half million? That's the point of them. Save as many lives as possible. Ignorance isn't bliss if it gets you killed unnecessarily.

magicthree · 22/03/2023 08:06

hamstersarse · 22/03/2023 07:05

There are clearly two types of people in this world

one who needs a text message to tell them what the weather is

another who can use their own eyes to see the weather outside

What a ridiculous comment! I think the meaning of the word "emergency" has bypassed you.

RagingWoke · 22/03/2023 08:22

In settings there's a "emergency warning" thing isn't there, which wasn't there till recently. So they have accessed it.

Um, no? It's a setting that comes from an update to your phones operating system 😂