To think there’s something a bit sinister about the Government Emergency Alert test on 7th September?

[ThisAmberSignal]

I know it’s being pitched as just a routine safety check, “nothing to worry about” but I can’t help but feel uneasy. Why now? Why the sudden push to roll this out and get everyone’s phones buzzing at the same time?
Is it really just a public safety measure or could there be something more going on here - surveillance, control, a soft rollout of something bigger?

AIBU to feel suspicious… or do others get the same vibe?

You’re being ridiculous and it happened a few years back

several countries have run regular tests since at least Covid times if not before

FFS they did a test a couple of years ago and they are doing another now.
It's just a test.
Like a fire drill in a school.
That. Is. All.

YABU they did one a few years ago.
They can be useful for things like flood alerts if you live in an area prone to them, or maybe if you live near a nuclear power station.

It happened under the Tory government too. Did you feel the same then? If so did anything happen?

Nonsense, OP, in the nicest possible way! It's a test for an emergency alert system, that many other countries have!

No, nobody is suspicious. YABU!

Kindly, get a grip. Lots of countries have these tests, we had one a few years ago. It’s important to get it right, and last time lots of phones didn’t go off.

FFS get a bloody grip 🙄

It’s a load of crap and everyone we know has disabled the alarm on their phones.

'Why the sudden push to roll this out?' We are years behind other countries and emergency alerts! I think its actually a useful bit of tech that wasn't avaliable years ago.. which is why we didn't have it years ago.

That reminds me ..get baco foil from Asda tomorrow.

Do you not remember the one a few years ago?

It's kind of reassuring in a way really. If there is some natural disaster about to hit my part of the world, then it would be good to have some notice so we can take action. Forest fire, flood, extreme tides - tragedy could be averted if people had notice to get to higher ground or leave the area etc or even just stay indoors and close windows etc. I don't think we should be panicking about being invaded or anything like that.

I’m not sure a second test in 2.5 years really qualifies as a “sudden push to roll this out”.

Don't be silly, it's no different to a fire drill.

We had one before. I think it’s great, really handy if there’s a disaster and they need to get the message out quickly, especially with climate change and more extreme weather.

People do seem to be obsessing over the idea this test is something to do with war.
Since the last test (2 and a half years ago) the alert has been used 5 times.
4 of those were for weather warnings 🙄

Just turn them off if they bother you. On an iPhone: settings/notifications. Scroll to the bottom, turn off ‘extreme alerts’ and ‘severe alerts’

Yes, sorry, you are being ridiculous. It's been used, in localised areas already to warn of storms etc. had it go off (am sure it was January time) as the area I was in was under a red weather warning for a storm.

I can't even remember how we're supposed to check if ours is 'on'. I'll have to google before Sunday

@ThisAmberSignal don't be daft. Do you object to fire alarms too?

no point in just assuming it will work, only to find out too bloody late it doesn't!

put the tin foil away!

A friend of mine who comes from another country where they are far better than the UK about this sort of thing thinks the hysteria and conspiracy theories are hilarious.

In the olden days they would ring the church bells or send the town crier round. Technology has moved on a notch and so should we.

You can turn it off on your phone settings.

i turned my alerts off it easy to do

Thanks! Saved me the
google. Just checked, mine are on 😊