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People living in the UK will soon be subjected to the first-ever nationwide test of the government’s new emergency alert system.
Text messages will be sent to millions of 4G and 5G mobile phones at 3pm on Sunday, prompting an alert message to flash up on the screen and an alarm to sound.
The system is intended to be used to warn citizens of life-threatening situations such as flooding, wildfires, terror attacks or nuclear threats, and is based upon similar schemes in the United States, Canada, Japan and Netherlands.
The sound and vibration will last for up to 10 seconds even if devices are set to silent, with newly-announced deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden saying: “It could be the sound that saves your life.”
Domestic violence campaigners have cautioned that the test could put people in danger by revealing the location of secret phones hidden away by those at risk, while experts warning of the risk of related scams have stressed that no action is required in response to the alert.
‘Keep calm and carry on’: Deputy PM’s message ahead of UK emergency alerts test
Britons have been advised to “keep calm and carry on” when a test emergency alert is sent to their mobile phones later today.
Officials from the Cabinet Office National Situation Centre will send out the alert at 3pm and it will be received by every 4G and 5G device across the United Kingdom.
People are being urged to remember that the alert is a test, similar to a one-off fire alarm drill, and no action is required when they receive the test.
Oliver Dowden, deputy prime minister and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “Keep calm and carry on – that is the British way and it is exactly what the country will do when they receive this test alert at 3pm today.
“The government’s number one job is to keep people safe and this is another tool in the toolkit for emergency situations, such as flooding or wildfires, and where there is a genuine risk to life. So it really is the sound that could save your life.”
Voices | This is why I’m worried about tomorrow’s unprecedented emergency alert
In an opinion article for Independent Voices, Women’s Aid survivor ambassador Alexis Strum points to warnings of the risk these alerts pose to domestic abuse victims.
She writes: “It’s a particular concern for those who might still be living with their abuser and may have a concealed (or “burner”) phone for their safety. A loud alert sound blaring from a previously concealed phone could result in immediate exposure and put them in serious danger from their perpetrator.
“It may seem strange that a victim would hide a phone from her partner, but having personally experienced abuse and met countless other survivors, I know how important it is to hide/hoard key items, including mobile devices, when preparing to escape the relationship.
“I remember one lady I met who managed to leave only after collecting coins from the back of the sofa over the course of a year – a few pence a week – saving up just enough for a train fare. For women in this situation, their phone, which they once considered a lifeline, could in fact be their enemy. Ten seconds might be just long enough to expose them and put them in an incredibly dangerous position.”
How to turn off government emergency alerts if you’re a victim of domestic abuse
While the alerts are designed to warn of a danger to life nearby, they could also create a risk to people experiencing domestic abuse, who for their safety have a secret or secondary mobile phone, reports Oliver Browning.
Alerts will play a sound even if the phone is on silent and the device will not be useable until the notification is acknowledged.
Due to the potential risks, domestic violence charity Refuge has shared a video with instructions on how to turn off the emergency alerts on both Androids and iPhones.
Five myths over government’s emergency alert system debunked
Social media is abuzz with conspiracy theories and misinformation about the government’s emergency alert system.
Though touted by the government as a "vital tool to keep the public safe in life-threatening emergencies", advances in smart technology or government initiatives are often met with scepticism and the system has sent certain corners of the internet into a frenzy of conjecture.
Bizarre conspiracies have surfaced ahead of Sunday’s test - including the notion the alert is an “activation signal” for the “pathogen” in the Covid vaccine, among others.
This theory is one of several circulating on social media, with experts warning of potentially harmful consequences. Ahead of Sunday’s test, Full Fact has debunked five of the most troublesome instances of misinformation spreading about the alert online:
‘Ignore at all costs’: Warning issued over potential scams linked to alert
Britons have been urged to be wary of scams ahead of the UK’s first-ever nationwide public alert system test this afternoon.
Lisa Webb, a scams expert at Which? , said: “Scammers will use any hook they can to try and steal money and personal information from victims, and unfortunately the government’s upcoming nationwide test of its new Emergency Alerts system will be no exception.
“It’s vital anyone who receives the official test alert is aware that no action is required. If you are asked to download an app or provide information, this is likely to be an unscrupulous fraudster trying to trick you and should be ignored at all costs.”
My colleague Emily Atkinson has the full report:
Alarm ‘could be sound that saves your life’, says government minister
Rishi Sunak’s new deputy prime minister has claimed that the new alert system being trialled today could one day “be the sound that saves your life”.
Oliver Dowden said: “We’ll be doing a nationwide test of our new Emergency Alerts system. Getting this system operational means we have a vital tool to keep the public safe in life-threatening emergencies. It could be the sound that saves your life.”
What will the emergency message say?
Set to be tested on 4G and 5G mobile phones this afternoon, the sound and vibration of the emergency alert will last for up to 10 seconds even if devices are set to silent.
The message will say: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
“In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.”
Phone users will be prompted to swipe away the message or clicking “OK” on their home screen before being able to continue using their device. Drivers are advised not to look at or touch their phone until it is safe, just as when receiving any call or message.
Millions to receive emergency alert test text message
At 3pm today, millions of mobile phones will display an emergency alert message from the government, in the first nationwide trial of the new system.
Set to be tested on 4G and 5G mobile phones, the sound and vibration will last for up to 10 seconds even if devices are set to silent.
My colleague Eleanor Noyce has more details:
Good morning, and welcome to The Independent’s live blog covering the first-ever nationwide trial of the emergency alert system, where we’ll be providing you with the latest updates on the test.
Text messages will be sent to millions of 4G and 5G mobile phones at 3pm on Sunday, prompting an alert message to flash up on the screen and an alarm to sound.
The system is intended to be used to warn citizens of life-threatening situations such as flooding, wildfires, terror attacks or nuclear threats, and is based upon similar schemes in the United States, Canada, Japan and Netherlands.
The sound and vibration will last for up to 10 seconds even if devices are set to silent, with newly-announced deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden saying: “It could be the sound that saves your life.”
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2023-04-23 08:57:54Z
CBMiaGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWsvaG9tZS1uZXdzL2VtZXJnZW5jeS1hbGVydC10ZXN0LXVrLXRpbWUtc291bmQtb3B0LW91dC1iMjMyNTEyNy5odG1s0gFsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvbmV3cy91ay9ob21lLW5ld3MvZW1lcmdlbmN5LWFsZXJ0LXRlc3QtdWstdGltZS1zb3VuZC1vcHQtb3V0LWIyMzI1MTI3Lmh0bWw_YW1w
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