Morris Minor Owners Club

This is genuine, and is provided for you to share.

On Sunday 23 April the government will be carrying out a national test in the early evening which will see people receive a test message on their mobile phones with a loud, siren-like sound and a message on their mobile phone screen. Note that the Government does not need to have your phone number for this to work.

People do not need to do anything other than acknowledge the message when they receive it as it's just a test for the new system.

The new alert system could create a risk to people experiencing domestic abuse, who for their safety have a secret or secondary mobile phone. The alert will play a sound even if the phone is on silent, which may make the phone detectable to perpetrators. The alert will play a loud siren and vibrate, and your phone will not be useable until you acknowledge the alert.

Refuge has shared a video with instructions on how to turn off the emergency alerts on both Android and iPhone, or see notes below.

If you have friends or family that don't have access to the internet or may not be aware of this system, then it's worth sharing with them so they are aware. More information can be found on the Government website here: gov.uk/alerts

Steps for Android users:

• Go to the settings app of the Android device

• Search for ‘Emergency Alerts’ using the search bar at the top of the screen

• Click or tap on the first option that pops up

• Once in the device’s Emergency Alerts settings page, turn off Emergency Alerts by pressing all the toggle buttons (blue means on, grey means off)

Steps for Apple users:

• Go to the settings app of the Apple device

• Scroll down to find and click or tap on the ‘Notifications’ tab

• Scroll all the way down again to find a dedicated section for Emergency Alerts

• You will see ‘Extreme Alerts’ and ‘Severe Alerts’ buttons, but this sometimes varies depending on which iPhone or Apple device you are using.

• To turn them off, press all the toggle buttons (blue means on, grey means off)

Why can't they just leave us in peace??

An interesting dilemma. Suppose you're asleep in a village below a dam that is failing. Would you want the alert, or prefer to be left to rest in peace for eternity?

I'm not advocating either way, I have simply provided the information as I believe it to be important. I did ponder on whether to lock the topic, but suspected that there might be a few comments

Given the nature of the events about which we will be alerted I think that, on balance, I would rather know than not.

Thanks Simon, it's important that such info is shared.

Given the number of people who have difficulty finding or using their settings, here's the link to the Video that Simon mentioned https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2MBcHwmiy8

Her is the link to the government page. It will not happen on all mobiles its dependent on software level of android as an example.

https://www.gov.uk/alerts

I can see the scammers jumping on this with glee - 'Just click on the link to see how you are doomed'

I've already turned my alerts off. When was the last disaster that required the whole country to be notified?
I don't trust this authoritarian government as far as I can throw it.
I think the alert system is to log EVERYONE with a smart phone & have the ability to take control of that phone & shut it down if they don't comply. Many people, like me, have their banking on their phone, the government will be able to deny them access to their own money, notifications, emails etc.
We have all voluntarily tagged ourselves. I even have an Apple Watch so I can be followed & tracked everywhere & if Uncle Sam decided to wipe me out they could, thanks to Google maps, lob a cruise missile right through my front window.
Our wonderful Sat Nav we all love & depend on is only loaned to us by the American military, who could if they so wish switch the whole network off.
Then we'd have to dust off the old A-Z's

Firstly the alerts will only be broadcast in those areas affected by selecting which masts transmit the alert.

Secondly the transmission cannot identify individual mobiles. It isn't sending a message to each mobile. It is a general broadcast that phones can pick up. There is no ability to take control of your phone or shut it down.

The system is there to help us by warning us of events. Ignore it at your peril.

(Taken from the govt. site)
iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later
Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

So poor people won't get emergency alerts, only those who can afford a modern device (no one in this household has a phone with an OS version that new).

Maurice_Minor wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:08 pm lob a cruise missile right through my front window.

Don't worry, they wouldn't waste a cruise missile. It'd be a drone with remote triggered explosives - so you can rest easy now knowing that

KeithL wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:18 pm Ignore it at your peril.

I rarely have my phone out of Flight Mode anyway, stops accidentally spending money I can ill afford - needless to say I'm on PAYG

Maurice_Minor wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:08 pm I think the alert system is to log EVERYONE with a smart phone & have the ability to take control of that phone & shut it down if they don't comply.

They'd probably just annoy you by sending stuff to your phone you don't want:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29208540

Also:

Maurice_Minor wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:08 pm When was the last disaster that required the whole country to be notified?

23rd March 2020.

Maurice_Minor wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:08 pm I've already turned my alerts off. When was the last disaster that required the whole country to be notified?
I don't trust this authoritarian government as far as I can throw it.
I think the alert system is to log EVERYONE with a smart phone & have the ability to take control of that phone & shut it down if they don't comply. Many people, like me, have their banking on their phone, the government will be able to deny them access to their own money, notifications, emails etc.
We have all voluntarily tagged ourselves. I even have an Apple Watch so I can be followed & tracked everywhere & if Uncle Sam decided to wipe me out they could, thanks to Google maps, lob a cruise missile right through my front window.
Our wonderful Sat Nav we all love & depend on is only loaned to us by the American military, who could if they so wish switch the whole network off.
Then we'd have to dust off the old A-Z's

I suggest you update your knowledge of GPS development over the past 20 odd years....
There's an update US system, the EU Galileo and the Russian Glonass system....
Also, the UK Emergency Alert System is specific to the event and location, be it a natural disaster or terrorist attack

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:41 pm Why can't they just leave us in peace??

they can't..as in matt hancocks words 'let's scare the pants off them'

Given the recent behaviour of politicians and governments across the whole political spectrum, it is wise to question whether there may be more sinister motives behind this, beyond 'sending stuff to your phone that you don't want', although this is entirely possible in itself. There is a real risk of technology being used for nefarious purposes in the future. It is no surprise that most governments want greater control over the populace. I for one do not wish to live in a technology enabled dystopia.

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:49 am Given the recent behaviour of politicians and governments across the whole political spectrum, it is wise to question whether there may be more sinister motives behind this, beyond 'sending stuff to your phone that you don't want', although this is entirely possible in itself. There is a real risk of technology being used for nefarious purposes in the future. It is no surprise that most governments want greater control over the populace. I for one do not wish to live in a technology enabled dystopia.

i'm with you on that.
never forget what the Canadian PM done to the truck driver's and their supporters only recently..froze their bank accounts
cash is king!

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:49 am 'sending stuff to your phone that you don't want'

Why wouldn't you want the warning? If there is warning, for example, of someone with a gun in your area shooting people, why wouldn't you want a heads up?

Your dammed if you do and your dammed if you do not.

KeithL wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 12:46 pm

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:49 am 'sending stuff to your phone that you don't want'

Why wouldn't you want the warning? If there is warning, for example, of someone with a gun in your area shooting people, why wouldn't you want a heads up?

I'm not saying that I wouldn't, Keith. I'm merely echoing 'Chief's comment above. The point is that technology introduced for one reason can easily be used for other purposes once established. Some of these purposes may be benign, but there is no guarantee of that. Sid's comment about Trudeau is a case in point.

I'm surprised how ready people on this forum are so happy to believe these alerts are purely for our benefit & so ready to scold/mock anyone who is cynical of our government's motives.
If that makes me a Wolfie Smith, then so be it! LOL

I really don’t know if there’s more to it than meets the eye, however aren’t we fortunate to be able to criticise our government without being fearful of disappearing! Easily to take that for granted.

For now, Les, for now........