How to turn off UK wide emergency alert which could put domestic abuse victims at risk
A nationwide emergency alert will set people's phones off for 10 seconds at 3pm on Sunday 23 April.
The loud noise of the emergency alert could reveal a domestic violence victim's phone to their abuser, with charities saying the test could put people at risk. Here's how to turn off the alert.
On iPhones and Android phones and tablets, people can search settings for "emergency alerts" and turn off "severe alerts" and "emergency alerts".
I've seen lots of comments about this test since it was announced, none of them positive. Must be the online company I keep.
Driving, chopping wood, slicing vegetables, there are numerous other reasons why this is an absurd idea apart from the creepy interference aspect. I've already turned off the alerts on my phone, but to be sure I'll be switching it off too. Never encourage them is a sound policy.
9 comments:
I think this excuse is a bit lame though. It will let abusers find their victims hidden second phones?
I'm of the opinion that people who are in a violent relationship, need to get out. There's plenty of help and assistance available. Too many people stay in violent relationships and just expect to have to police at their beck and call. They believe the crap like, he can change, or he didn't mean it. Julia has plenty of examples on her blog for a start
My sympathy is a bit lacking on this one
Yes, it's a daft idea, but so is the ridiculous posturing by "domestic violence charities". Anything to gain publicity. There's a couple of days left in which we can be told that the sound will be racist, or sexist, or can kill iguanas.
My concern is not the alerts themselves, after all they may be useful. My concern is mission creep... how long before some bureaucrat thinks it's a good idea to remind us to eat 5-a-day. Not to drink and drive? To take only brief warm showers?
It's bad enough when motorway 'emergency' signs advise us to 'take a break', it'll be even more intrusive to have our own phones nag us.
What DJ said.
Bucko - I don't have much sympathy either, but it's an interesting angle because I doubt if those who planned the test thought of it and politically they have to be sympathetic.
Sam - I'm astonished that usual suspects haven't played the poverty card expect too, or if they have I've missed it. Maybe the idea of poor people who can't afford a smart phone is too improbable.
DJ and Peter - mission creep is my main concern too - my only concern really. It is so obvious that the ultimate intention is to exert wider bureaucratic control over the use of phones.
A pal told me that he didn't complete the 2021 census form because the whole pandemic response fiasco meant that he'd withdrawn co-operation from government. What other small, probably futile, gestures could we all make?
@Dearieme - I went through a period of cancelling my Council Tax direct debit and paying cash one month, then re-instating the DD the following month, over and over
It got more tedious for me than them, after a while though
Your pal probably got pursued for that census, as they can be relentless about it. I held out for a few months once, but caved in the end, before getting fined
dearieme and Bucko - it's not easy to make a worthwhile protest based on not being co-operative. Governments seem immune to anything but public embarrassment and even then they have thick skins.
True dat
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