The guidance has been around for a while now to disable alerts on secret phones. We can’t just not send out alert messages because of this.
Comment on Emergency Alert About Wildfires
hedders@fedia.io 5 days ago
Well, anyone with a secret phone they're e.g. hiding from an abusive spouse has had that blown, haven't they? But at least they now know portable barbecues and fireworks are a Not Very Good Idea when the country is basically a tinderbox. So, there's that.
Flax_vert@feddit.uk 5 days ago
HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 5 days ago
Yeah but this alert was just a request to not start forest fires.
echodot@feddit.uk 3 days ago
I agree but I also don’t think this was anywhere close to an appropriate use of the alert system. The minimum level of danger that this should be ised for is “police car chase in area”. The only exception should be a test of the system, and they should announce that at least 48 hours before they do the test, preferably weeks before they do the test.
Flax_vert@feddit.uk 3 days ago
I think some people are right in maybe implementing a lower level system. I have heard someone say it’s possible to send an alert without a interrupting siren, and as just a notification. An SMS is a possibility, but is quite expensive.
I remember back in the days before the alert system was well known knowledge, a few years ago. I and my family just received random messages saying “Operator test #1” and “Operator Test #2” without any form of warning, people likely weren’t even aware that their phone could even do that (I was because I am a bit of a nerd, lol)
ohulancutash@feddit.uk 5 days ago
However it does seem people still aren’t getting that.
Archimedes@sh.itjust.works 5 days ago
That’s on them🤷
MurrayL@lemmy.world 5 days ago
There were months of warning about the emergency alert system when it was introduced for exactly that reason, including widely-publicised instructions on how to turn them off.