Guardian readers share their views and concerns about the planned first UK nationwide test of the government’s public warning system that will send alerts to UK mobile phones in the event of a disaster. The test will take place at 3pm on Sunday.
‘In Japan, these alarms do save lives’
I think it’s about time that we had one. When I lived in Japan, I exeperienced the satellite based Japanese alert system, called J-Alert, that sends out alerts on extreme weather, earthquakes, incoming missiles et cetera. Not only do you get an alarm notification on your phone, it is also played on outdoor speakers, via email, radio and television. They are broadcasted in several languages and missile alerts also happen via air raid sirens.
Those alarms did notify you of earth tremors so you had a chance to hide under a table, and it was fantastic. These alarms really do save lives! The only concern would be for people who are hiding a phone in order to survive domestic violence, but as long as you can turn it off or set to vibrate, it’s all good. Maria, 39, a carer, from Colne, Lancashire
‘The alerts could cause disruption and distress’
I am concerned that the government alert system being tested on Sunday 23 April has not taken into consideration the range of non-consumer connected IoT devices in the market – from smart vending machines to electric vehicle (EV) charging systems to medical equipment – that may be running on Android today. Many devices may not be equipped to acknowledge and dismiss this notification, which could cause real-world problems.
For example, my company simulated the alert on customer devices and found that one medical device sounded the alert and entered into an alarm state that could not be cancelled, potentially creating risk and causing distress for patients. Overall, the health and safety of elderly and vulnerable people who rely on these connected home and healthcare systems is at risk from the impact of these alerts. Since every IoT device is unique, with different hardware and firmware, it is impossible to predict the scale of the disruption or to implement a catch-all fix.
Another example is EV charging systems, where there could be disruption to travel infrastructure and drivers could be left stranded if the charger can’t process payments and dispense electricity. Given the lack of government guidance in this area, my advice to any companies running connected Android devices in particular is to ideally simulate and test this alert before Sunday, and update firmware where necessary immediately. Paul Marshall, Founder of IoT company Eseye, from Guildford
‘Essential for flood warnings’
Absolutely essential for flood warnings, as they will give people time to make themselves and their possessions safe. Having been flooded myself, I know how vital this kind of information is. Mary Long-Dhonau, advocate and campaigner for flood prevention and property flood resilience, from Ledbury
‘This is long overdue’
I see nothing wrong with this system. It’s a far overdue government warning system that could save lives, something that would’ve come in useful during the Covid pandemic. I don’t see this as intrusive, more as an attempt to deliver essential information to people in a swift and concise manner. I have no concerns, the government already has access to our phones and mobile devices, at least the “invasion of privacy” will be for something useful for once. Cameron, a student, from Wiltshire
‘As an epileptic, I worry about the effects on my health’
I criticise the missing information. Will there be sirens? How long will the test last? Having frontal lobe epilepsy, the whole palaver spooks me – my concern is that the alarm could trigger an epileptic seizure, as unexpected sudden noise can act as a trigger.
Of course this is of no comparison to something that might be causing an alarm for the entire population due to a real emergency. But as the weather report is generally unreliable, the warning for floods and so on will probably come after the floods. The alarm system will sound after a bomb has dropped. We are not in a situation of war which might merit this warning system. Anonymous, from East Sussex
‘What if an abuse victim’s hidden phone goes off?’
It’s a surprise that our government is suddenly concerned with our safety. I’m sure that the regular radio and TV broadcast services would tell us if there was an imminent threat to us. I think this is blatant electioneering along the lines of “look at us looking after you”. I believe that this is part of Project Fear. Also, it’s an infringement of our privacy as “every” mobile device will respond to this. Thus “every” mobile device can be tracked at that precise moment. And what happens if a mobile phone is a lifeline to someone being abused? The mobile will no longer be hidden. Gary Hambly, retired, from Llandrindod Wells
‘I have my doubts about the alerts’ sophistication’
If it’s anything like the Met Office system for “extreme” weather alerts we can presumably expect our phones to be wailing whenever there’s a possibility of anything exceeding a strong breeze, a heavy rain storm or a day of temperatures in excess of 25C. Alf Alderson, a freelance journalist, from Pembrokeshire
‘Not everyone has a mobile phone’
I am in two minds on this. I do see it could be very useful in a situation of immediate danger. Having a system like that will alert all those that have a mobile phone, but not everyone does. An air raid alarm at certain intervals so nobody can miss an alert would be more useful as it will reach everyone. Regular silent tests can be done (the Netherlands do these) and a (bi-)monthly full test at a set time so everyone knows the sound of the alarm.
My concern is that having an alarm going off on all phones, either for testing or in a situation of danger, could put more lives at risk than the actual emergency. How often will these tests be carried out? The more frequent the more unwanted risks to life. A few examples where alarms like this could risk people’s lives: people in an abusive relationship that have a secret phone, people who have an affair that have a secret phone, undercover police officers that need to have a secret phone. So on the whole, having alarms like these is in my opinion counter-productive. National emergencies are very rare occasions. Ensuring the system works requires regular testing, not just on rare occasions. Let us therefore do the air raids instead. Maria, 65, a senior operations manager from Hampshire
