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Yokohama Accidentally Tweets That NK Missile Is Inbound

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the just-a-drill dept.

ForgedArtificer writes "Earlier today, the Crisis Management Office Affairs Bureau for the city of Yokohama, Japan had some startling news for its followers; to wit, a North Korean missile was on its way to Japan. The tweet stayed up for about 20 minutes before being removed and replaced with an apology. The city reports that a pre-written tweet was released due to a malfunction in the 'mechanism' that would have released the tweet at the appropriate time."

41 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Apparently by netwarerip · · Score: 5, Funny

    They wanted to be first to tweet the news.
    Must be a Slashdot user.

    1. Re:Apparently by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Note to self: Maybe that RaspberryPi Tweet monitoring Nuke launcher was a bad idea...

      --
      People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
    2. Re:Apparently by serviscope_minor · · Score: 5, Funny

      Maybe.

      Though being twitter, I'd expect it to be something more like:

      missile coming were all going to die lol

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    3. Re:Apparently by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 4, Funny

      #ohshit

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    4. Re:Apparently by Sperbels · · Score: 2

      Right. They just taught the automated system tic-tac-toe and it decided to give up on the launch. Computers are so stupid.

    5. Re:Apparently by Sam+Nitzberg · · Score: 2

      Here are the two relevant Wikipedia Links regarding this series of events that happened:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Archer_83
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_RYAN

      There is also a documentary on this called something like Soviet War Scare 1983 that has been on the military channel.

      -- Sam

    6. Re:Apparently by isorox · · Score: 2

      #ohshit

      #NOCARRIER

  2. joshua what are you doing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    joshua what are you doing?

  3. Pre-written? by ZorinLynx · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This sounds like something serious enough that a pre-written tweet is not the best idea. If a missile were inbound for my area, I'd want a real person to write the tweet, with actual pertinent details, rather than "releasing" a prewritten, generic tweet.

    Something that can cause panic like this should not be automated.

    1. Re:Pre-written? by HaZardman27 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Seriously, how long would it take in the event of an actual launch detection to write a tweet? Doesn't seem like this "mechanism" is nearly worth the risk.

      --
      Apparently wizard is not a legitimate career path, so I chose programmer instead.
    2. Re:Pre-written? by interkin3tic · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Sure, but that wouldn't be very Japanese. On the windows of some trains on the Tokyo subway, there were big warnings that the window could not open. The windows in question were clearly stationary, if you broke your fingers trying to pry them open, that was on you. This is the same country that practices tiger escape drills in their zoos using costumes.

    3. Re:Pre-written? by medv4380 · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's automated because they're using the same system that they use for earthquakes notifications. They're just lucky it only posted to twitter, and not a full Text Bombing Emergency Alert. They have a far better EBS then the US, but it still has bugs. Most of the US EBS are just pre-recorded messages with general instructions that later lead to your more personalized message, and instructions.

    4. Re:Pre-written? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Depends who operates that "mechanism". If it's a government employee, a few hours to days after the impact. If it's a 14 year old girl with an iphone, about 42ms after the missle was launched...

    5. Re:Pre-written? by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Given the proximity of North and South, ahem, Korea. Me thinks you don't get much lead time...

      --
      People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
    6. Re: Pre-written? by sir_eccles · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually well run corporate social media often implement an approval process for all tweets replies and other comments to avoid spelling mistakes misinterpretation and ensuring that the right corporate message gets across. I'm sure that a committee sat down here and said "what is the best way to write this?" Rather than let some 20 something quickly write something in the spur of the moment that might be wrong. So yes prewritten is probably a good idea, accidentally pressing send however...

    7. Re:Pre-written? by Bohnanza · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sounds like something serious enough to use an air-raid siren instead of a tweet.

      --

      -----

      Sorry, I'm only a 1336 h4x0r.

    8. Re:Pre-written? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 2

      Write it? Not long. Compose it, complete with ass covering? A long time.

      I'm sure some committee agreed on the wording. They couldn't get one out in realtime without prewriting it because there doesn't seem to be anybody around anymore who will step up in an emergency and take responsibility.

    9. Re:Pre-written? by the_other_chewey · · Score: 2, Funny

      Given the proximity of North and South, ahem, Korea. Me thinks you don't get much lead time...

      Good thing then that Yokohama is in, ahem, neither.

    10. Re:Pre-written? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      She'd also include an instagram picture of the missile with some pretty effects to boot.

    11. Re:Pre-written? by geekoid · · Score: 2

      You're statement is completely false.

      It's rewritten becasue t's part of an automated 24/7 system. I work with Emergency responders, and with people who design these systems. Plenty of people are willing and do take responsibility. People who aren't don't hold those position very long, assuming they could get one.

      When talking about the US government, remember a few things.
      1) 10's of thousands of project go on every year.
      2) the media only reports things they perceive as failures*
      3) The people in your government work far harder then any media ever shows
      5) The US government employees do a damn good job compared to any other government in the world.

      Yes, there will be problems. People make mistakes and people aren't perfect.

      *most aren't, there just a lack of understanding of the situation by the medias.and of course, some are.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    12. Re:Pre-written? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 2

      Really? So if you were call officer for the emergency response system in your city and you got a notification that a North Korean missile was incoming, would you hop on Twitter and tell everyone what you knew? Or would you crack open the manual and see what you were supposed to do?

      I should have been more specific - nobody wants to take sole responsibility for making public announcements. That's because all you hear about in the media is the failures. If you had taken the initiative and made the announcement that Yokohama was about to get nuked, in your official capacity as emergency response duty officer, the media would be stringing you up right now, and your bosses probably wouldn't be on your side. By following the book or, better, having an automated message, carefully worded by committee, individuals can deny responsibility. Even if Yokohama was about to get nuked you'd probably be criticized for making a typo or using unnecessary adjectives relating to North Korean ancestry.

  4. Wow, talk about being eager for "First Post" by kannibal_klown · · Score: 4, Funny

    Man, I thought the first-post messages on Slashdot were bad.

    At least the incorrect messages on slashdot won't incite World War III

    1. Re:Wow, talk about being eager for "First Post" by kannibal_klown · · Score: 2

      True, but the closest thing we have to permanently damaging artillery is a link to the goat*x pic.

  5. Twitter fails as warning system. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Good test. No widespread panic. Nobody changing their behaviour. No flood of retweets. Thanks to this production test we learned that twitter is not a good warning system.

  6. Had to add this... by ForgedArtificer · · Score: 2

    I texted the story to a friend of mine before posting it here.... his comment:

    "Whoopsie."

    I'm still giggling half an hour later.

    --
    The right to offend is central to the right to free speech.
  7. Smells like... by SYSS+Mouse · · Score: 2

    WarGames.

  8. My fellow Americans by Alranor · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.

    1. Re:My fellow Americans by ValentineMSmith · · Score: 2

      I can remember my parents laughing when that happened, and I can remember the news (for some reason, ABC News REALLY sticks in my mind) was REALLY offended and angry.

      Which may have been part of the reason my folks were laughing so hard.

      --
      Karma: Chameleon - mostly influenced by bad '80s New Wave music
  9. Retaliation tweet by sl4shd0rk · · Score: 4, Funny

    lol whops... sry Kim my bad. -Obama

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  10. Or...... by 3vi1 · · Score: 2

    Or their twitter feed got hacked by some NK'n kids and they just didn't want to admit it.

  11. Re:Of course, here's the thing... by Dan+Dankleton · · Score: 3, Funny

    A more appropriate time would be, y'know, when a North Korean missile is inbound.

  12. Prior Art by seven+of+five · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minutes

  13. Re:140 Chars... by Endo13 · · Score: 2

    Well, let's see. We'll do a little quick math here. A typical typist does about 40-70 WPM. Really quick ones can top 100. So let's be generous and assume they have one of their fastest on this, and he/she can do 120WPM. Now, when calculating WPM, five keystrokes is considered one "word" (not counting keys like shift or control). At that rate, it would take 14 seconds to type 140 characters, not a mere single second as you so rashly assume. /ducks

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  14. Re:Of course, here's the thing... by mrbester · · Score: 2

    Personally, I'd rather not know there was an inbound missile as spending the last few minutes of my life going "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" (are you really going to be calm and phone a loved one [who you can't contact because they're trying to phone you] to say goodbye?) doesn't sound much fun.

    --
    "Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"
  15. Re:Oblig: by ArcadeMan · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nuclear launch cancelled. Not enough minerals.

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  16. Fitting reaction by thrill12 · · Score: 2

    Barman: Did you say the world is coming to an end? Shouldn't we all lie on the floor or put paper bags over our heads?
    Ford: If you like.
    Barman: Will it help?
    Ford: Not at all.
    [Ford runs out of the pub]
    Barman: Last orders, please!
    (THGTTG - DNA)

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    Slashdot: stuff for news, nerds that matter, matter for news, stuff that nerd
  17. 99 Red Balloons. by Gabrill · · Score: 2

    Nena seems appropriate here. 99 Red Balloons.

    --
    Always going forward, 'cause we can't find reverse.
  18. Re:Boy who cried wolf by Enderandrew · · Score: 2

    My first thought when I saw videos of that fake EBS broadcast was "this is funny."

    My second thought was "I hope some nut-job doesn't kill his/her family to save them from being eaten by zombies."

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
  19. Really, it's that hard? by bryan1945 · · Score: 2

    They pre-wrote a 140 letter missive? Are they using a drugged-out, one-armed sloth as their spokesman?

    --
    Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
  20. 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm incident by happyhamster · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Soviet_nuclear_false_alarm_incident

  21. Re:Boy who cried wolf by mabhatter654 · · Score: 2

    If Il quit threatening, people would stop reaching for the "retaliation" button.

    Somebody is accidentally going to wipe his country off the map if he keeps this up.