DHS to Send Widespread Alerts

MarsGov writes "The Department of Homeland Security is gearing up to be able to periodic test 'alerts' to cable television stations, satellite radio, as well as any text-capable device — PDAs, cell phones, and web sites." From the article: Some glitches remain as telephone companies and other networks grapple with potentially trying to alert all of their customers at the same time without jamming their systems, Lawson said. But the alerts could be transmitted by text messages, audio recordings, video or graphics, he said, opening the possibility of sending out additional detailed information to specific sectors, like hospitals or emergency responders."

Comments

Invasion?

[cb8100]

So, if the U.S. gets invaded I'll get an SMS saying "All our base are belong to them?"

Good for Disaster Preparedness.

[couchslug]

A standard message format for disaster warning would be useful when prompt response could save lives. Tornado warnings come to mind as an ideal use for this. Not everyone is watching the boob tube or listening to conventional radio these days.

"Test Alerts" My Ass

[Chagatai]

The real reason for these alerts is to keep people as scared as possible. A building blew up in New York two days ago? Must be scary terrorists. Your flight was delayed? Be scared--it may be terrorists. Flat Coca-Cola, small puppies getting kicked, and cable rates being raised? Be terrified, because these were likely caused by terrorists.

The truth is that these events will continue during the 2006 elections and we should start seeing a few Orange Alerts or even a planned attack here in the next several months. No, wait, I got it. There will be an attack immediately followed by news of Osama bin Laden's death. Yeah, that will do it.

Re:"Test Alerts" My Ass

[geobeck]

There will be an attack immediately followed by news of Osama bin Laden's death.

They can't kill off Osama! He's the goose that lays the exploding eggs! After all, 'terror' is just an abstract concept. But when you have such a charismatic poster child, it becomes a war on "that guy with the turban".

And that creates even more terror, as the resulting xenophobia makes people see 'terrorists' around every corner. Your cab driver? He wears a turban just like Osama! He must be a terrorist! (Actually, the stereotypical Sikh cab driver's turban looks nothing like Osama's, but who pays attention when they're whipped into a xenophobic frenzy?) That engineer at X-TechCo looks kind of like Osama--he must be stealing technical secrets for terrorists! And that airline pilot doesn't look 'American'--ohnoes, we're all going to die!

Without Osama's pretty face in the news every day, the war on terror would fizzle into a war on apathy.

Re:kind of scary

[mrxak]

I can only seeing something like this causing panic. "UR IN DANGER RUN 4 LIFE" getting sent to thousands of people all at once can't possibly be a great way of alerting people to an emergency. At least with television alerts they give you a decent amount of information, but text messenging, especially at this large a scale, any message sent would probably not be able to include a lot of information.

*text msg chime*

[Rob T Firefly]

FROM: DHS
SUBJECT: omgwtfbbq
BODY: big missls cmg oshit run awy now pls kthx

Re:kind of scary

[pixelpusher220]

and 5 minutes later a 2nd SMS saying:

No, the OTHER way!

Re:Just in time for the fall election season

[lawpoop]

"What I find unfortunate is that DHS can't win. "

I think it's a little early for you to come to this conclusion.

"If they send out any kind of alert and nothing happens, they overreacted (even if there was a real threat and the perps simply scratched their mission once they were exposed.). "

If you look at a timeline of terror alerts, they all seem to coincide with the release of news that was damaging to the Bush administration.

"If they don't send an alert and something happens, they take the blame for that. "

Has that actually happened (yet)? That's why I say it is perhaps too early for you to say that they can't win.

"If they use it to send out emergency information on a hurricane bearing down on New Orleans... well, they won't do that right, because you believe this tech will only be used for political gain (though TFA says it may be used for natural disasters)."

Did they issue such a warning for hurricane Katrina? I honestly don't recall if they did. If they did, kudos to them.

If this is a tech that can be used for good or evil, based on historical evidence, I think the Bush administration will use it for evil.