Dystopian Emergency Presidential Alerts

[Karmamatterz]

Can anybody think of some real legit reasons why this alert system is necessary?

Impending apocalypse?
Nuclear attack?
Declaration of war?
Germ warfare spreading amongst the public?
Twitter systems down?

For the life of me I just can't get my head around a legit use of this service. Certainly the MSM would already have information to spew at us for anything important.

I got the alert on my phone today, apparently others got it on Oct. 3.

There are some funny reactions found here:
https://www.thecut.com/2018/10/funniest ... -text.html

Wired story here about the history of the alert system:
https://www.wired.com/story/presidentia ... y-history/

“The technology is there,” one federal official explained anonymously afterwards, “[but] after [Watergate], there was no way we were going to tell John Q. Public that we were going to put something in his home TV that was controlled by the government.”

Isn't that quote quite the gem?

One can imagine that if this system had been tested shortly after 9-11 the general fearful and shocked public would have embraced it. But now with Humpty Drumpty in office...meh.

I suppose if the system was to alert us to a pending nuclear attack it would give us a few minutes to kiss our own ass goodbye. At a young age I always thought it was hilarious that my grandfather had this poster tacked on a wall in his basement. Skip to #7.

[JackRiddler]

There is no scenario where this makes a damn difference. What would the emergency be that this system is first to inform anyone? The odds of a false alarm or intentional abuse are about seven million times higher. It's a demonstration of authority, and a credit-taking for existing emergency response systems on behalf of a temporary office-holder. Like the way every mayor and agency run out to the cameras to yap about every fucking weather event, serious or otherwise.

Also, supposedly this system has been 10 years in the making. (Really? Wonder what the spending has been. Also: Thanks, Obama!) But I cannot see anyone other than Trump deciding to use it.

Remember Hawaii!
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=40821

[Karmamatterz]

Oh crap...forgot about the Hawaii thread. If you think this is redundant I can kill it and move my comment to the Hawaii thread. it's more sexy anyhow.

[JackRiddler]

.

1. Hey, I'm fine with it either way, not a mod, just a useless gadfly on thread proliferation. Oooommmm...

2. Hawaii sexier than the president sending you a text? You'd think, but you forgot:

Trump Tower in Honolulu in September, 2009

[Elvis]

The "Presidential Alert" somehow knocked out the major ISP they use at work (I'm "working" again temporarily), so for several hours no orders could be processed etc. Also a number of phone services were interupted for a good part of the morning. Ideal circumstances during an emergency, right?

At "work" we usually (and rightfully) blame Bezos for our problems, but we agreed that everyone will know which individual to blame for this outtage and any late shipments.

[JackRiddler]

Strange. Ten years in development, supposedly.

How does this affect any ISP, it's an SMS via cell phone tower, no?

There was that weird thing where it just disappears after arrival. Is that how the "Amber" alerts also work?

[Elvis]

How does this affect any ISP, it's an SMS via cell phone tower, no?

Well, owner of the business called the ISP to see why the service was down, and they said it was caused by the "presidential alert." Perhaps Internet-connected phones?

[DrEvil]

^^They probably went over their data cap.

Off-topic rant: if data caps are so necessary, why do they zero-rate the most bandwidth-heavy applications? It's almost as if the caps are only there to rip you off.

[Pele'sDaughter]

Oh, come on now, that couldn't possibly be the reason, because just look at all those average joes who wrote to the FCC saying net neutrality is bad.

[thrulookingglass]

Thou shalt fear your God. Fear! The most powerful manipulator of all! Fear. How soon we forget W's color coded chart of Terror Alerts, "Today will be balmy, winds from the north east with a chance of IED's!" Do you finally realize the government has full access to your phones? Snowden the prophet. What bullshit. Mr. T finally has a megaphone superior to twitter. Fuck off Donald! Seriously, fuck off. Presidential alert even, how egotistical. Not "Homeland Security" alert even, Gawd that damn name W gave that calamity of a tax dollar wasting facade of a surveillance organization is so stupid, zion here we come! Enough already. I really wish I never fell for the whole "you're not cool unless you have a cell phone" thing. And now it's you have to have the latest diamond encrusted, gold plated, beats audio, facial recognition, now with deli slicer attachment, handheld listening device for the CFR/Bilderbergers/Bohemian Grove Alex Jones bait, house arrest bracelet with an $80 a month bill app installed. Fuck off world.

[DrEvil]

I wonder what would happen if someone hacked this system, paired it with voter lists of religious conservatives and sent out "The Rapture is here! Anyone who did not receive this message is a Demon from Hell!"

[Karmamatterz]

I wonder what would happen if someone hacked this system, paired it with voter lists of religious conservatives and sent out "The Rapture is here! Anyone who did not receive this message is a Demon from Hell!"

Haha! That would be awesome!!!!!!

"you're not cool unless you have a cell phone" thing.

Meh. It's a tool. Useful for me, but yeah it's a intel gathering tool as well. I'm 100% opposed to this data collection. The intel community can kiss my ass. Doubtful they will read this, but it felt good writing that.

My phone lets me capture photos quickly that I never could before, albeit of much lower quality and extreme limitations compared to my Nikons. It's a great way to keep in touch with my very ill mother who has learned how to text. If she had her phone on when the alert came out I think it might have given her another stroke. Anyhow, my phone helps me do shit faster for work so I can spend more time browsing RI.