To think the government should retest the mobile phone emergency alert?

[listsandbudgets]

For some reason I had an horrendous nightmare last night about a scenario where this didn't work and it got me thinking.

You may remember that they did this a couple of years ago maybe more so that all mobile phones would alert at once.

To my knowledge they've not tested it since. It's not that (apart from in my nightmares) I'm particularly expecting an emergency but wouldn't it be better for them to identify any issues that could have developed with the system before they actually need it? I'm not a techy but I could imagine things like phone software and security updates might have caused issues.

The government might use it the next time they want to deliberately “frighten the pants off the public” (their words, not mine).

If we get to the stage where we are expecting an imminent nuclear strike we will all be in a state of panic and anxiety anyway. If a missile is detected on its way to us, by the time someone has worded the message and pressed send most of us would be dead already.

I live in a tornado zone. The outdoor alerts get tested monthly. I just went through my phone and it looks like they test that system at least annually and occasionally more often.

we obviously have a distinct reason for the alert and time is essential, though tornados are not the only warnings that have come through the system.

No. It's all fear mongering and about control. I opted out so I can't get these emergency texts.

In what way is warning you about flooding or a landslide near you fear mongering or controlling? Genuinely interested.

Flooding and landslides are not fearmongering. But I do think that if the emergency alerts had been in place in 2020, the govt might have abused them to keep the fear high, and to give the illusion that they were doing something, with the scary buzzwords such as “remember: sing happy birthday while washing hands to save granny”, or “extra high death count in your street”, “extreme heat alert”, “uptick in cases in your street”, “stay at home or granny will die”, etc. I simply wouldn’t have put it past Matt “let’s frighten the pants off the public” Hancock to order this.