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Presidential Alerts

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Re: Presidential Alerts

#91

Post by waterphone »

mortenjorck wrote: post #27

I still don’t understand the actual point of this, beyond the optics of a vaguely-defined “emergency preparedness.” Emergencies are inherently local. Even if smartphones had been widespread in 2001 and the presidential alert system had been active on 9/11, what purpose would a nationwide alert have served?

There are a few possible scenarios where a national alert makes sense: ICBM launches that they either can't yet predict the target of or on a scale that is targeting across the country, massive cyberattacks targeting national infrastructure, supervolcano eruption, foreign invasion, etc.

The idea is that it would only be used in the most extreme of scenarios that affect the country as a whole.

Re: Presidential Alerts

#93

Post by waterphone »

smacktoward wrote: post #48
gavreh wrote: post #5

Why can't I disable or opt out of this?

It's supposed to be for extremely serious situations only. If the bombs are going to start falling in five minutes, millions of lives could depend on everybody getting the word as soon as possible. An unskippable alert pushed out to every cellphone in the country is the best way in the modern age to ensure that happens. As long as its use is restricted to only that kind of sky-is-falling situation, I don't have a pro…

Considering that it's run by FEMA, and they are mandated by law to only use it in national emergencies, and multiple FEMA officials have to sign off on any message sent out, political misuse of it is fairly unlikely.

Re: Presidential Alerts

#94

Post by waterphone »

theshadowknows wrote: post #30

So what system allows them to jack into every mobile network in the country at once? Or do I just have an extremely poor understanding of how these things work?

The Wireless Emergency Alerts system, authorized in the 2006 Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act.

https://www.congress.gov/109/bills/hr5785/BILLS-109hr5785ih....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Emergency_Alerts

Re: Presidential Alerts

#95

Post by waterphone »

jpindar wrote: post #73
crispyambulance wrote: post #36

A bunch of us just got one. SERIOUSLY? Does it _HAVE_ _TO_ say "presidential alert"? Do I have to be reminded of "him" during a time of potential crisis? What could "Cheeto-Satan" have to say in a real emergency that is of any value whatsoever?

Obama started it. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/01/trump-presidential...

It was first implemented under Obama, but it was authorized by Congress in the 2006 Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act. https://www.congress.gov/109/bills/hr5785/BILLS-109hr5785ih....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Emergency_Alerts

Re: Presidential Alerts

#96

Post by crispyambulance »

heedlessly3 wrote: post #78
crispyambulance wrote: post #36

A bunch of us just got one. SERIOUSLY? Does it _HAVE_ _TO_ say "presidential alert"? Do I have to be reminded of "him" during a time of potential crisis? What could "Cheeto-Satan" have to say in a real emergency that is of any value whatsoever?

This type of alert as existed before Trump became president. Trump did not administer this alert. Now you just look silly.

Doesn't matter. The fact that it was titled "Presidential Alert" is what I am reacting to.

It just doesn't sit well with me that "if this had been an actual emergency", covfefe.

Re: Presidential Alerts

#97

Post by stephengillie »

wlesieutre wrote: post #52
stephengillie wrote: post #4

The alert didn't shut off until you pressed the button. Many devices were making noise for minutes around me. How many car crashes were caused by people startled by the sudden, continuous alert?

Really? It sounded like all of the phones in my office alerted once and then stopped (though not all simultaneously, some took longer to receive it). What kind of phones are people using? My ringer was off so I can't say personally.

I was at a car dealership. I didn't take a poll of devices used by employees and other customers.

Re: Presidential Alerts

#98

Post by protomyth »

mikestew wrote: post #87
protomyth wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know darn well I mean heard about it ahead of time.

This native English speaker honestly parsed it twice, and that's what I came up with. I don't watch TV news, though, so it didn't occur to me until now that people get and watch TV before work. I just go to work.

I guess I expected them to have encountered it on whatever news source they use before the date since it was announced multiple times.

I guess some folks weren't watching the news and didn't get word before hand.

Re: Presidential Alerts

#99

Post by ivl »

gavreh wrote: post #5

Why can't I disable or opt out of this?

With a little effort you can. Some ADB creativity with a restore rom or rooting or magisk. You'll be hunting down settings inside /data/data/com.android.messaging/shared_prefs/com.android.messaging_preferences.xml

It may have a different name as phone manufacturers like to play around with what they name it, and each setting may have a different specific name. Each phone may have a different term for it, but you'd be hunting for 'presidential', or something like 'pref_key_cmas*' and setting that to false.

Re: Presidential Alerts

#100

Post by robszumski »

Currently reading this book about continuity of government [1] and many Presidents have done the full exercise, including activating the older emergency alert systems in over the air TV. Other parts of these exercises include the emergency evac from White House to bunker or flying command post, testing comms with subs and other command authorities, and walking through response plan selection, and last, the process of launching the weapons. I don't believe it ever worked fully, and I hope that this test was part of one of these exercises. The book makes it clear that these plans are only updated every 10-15 years and almost never tested end to end, especially now that the cold war is over.

1: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010MHAG72/

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