FCC Votes To Upgrade Emergency Smartphone Alerts (cnn.com)

After recent bombings, the Federal Communications Commission has voted to update the four-year-old emergency smartphone alerts system, which is used by officials to ping smartphones to alert people of severe weather, missing children, terror attacks or other danger. Some of the new changes allow the system to send texts with links to pictures, maps and phone numbers. CNNMoney reports: The agency also voted to allow longer messages -- 360 characters, up from 90 -- and to require wireless providers to support Spanish-language alerts. Wireless carriers will be allowed to support embedded links later this year. They'll be required to next year. The system's limits were on display last week when millions of New Yorkers received a text alert seeking information on Ahmad Khan Rahami, suspected in bombings in New York and New Jersey. "See media for pic," the alert said. Emergency alerts still won't include embedded photos, but commissioners said they're open to the idea. "Vague directives in text about where to find information about a suspect, just as we saw in New York, are not good enough," said Jessica Rosenworcel, an FCC commissioner. "As we move into the 5G future, we need to ensure that multimedia is available in all of our alert messages." Not everyone was so sure. Michael O'Rielly, another commissioner, said adding links and multimedia could jam cell networks during emergencies.

Comments

Don't care, already turned off

[whoever57]

After the alert mechanism was misused in my state for an Amber alert for an incident hundreds of miles away, I turned these alerts off.

I suspect more people would turn them off if they knew how (it's not obvious on Android -- used to be in settings, but then moved into the messaging app).

Re:Don't care, already turned off

[Geoffrey.landis]

After the alert mechanism was misused in my state for an Amber alert for an incident hundreds of miles away, I turned these alerts off.

Exactly the same here: After I was woken up from sleep at 2AM by an Amber Alert for a child that purportedly missing 200 miles away (who turned out to be with her father) I turned the alerts OFF.

However, in their favor, the adjustments to the alert system also are going to improve the geographical targetting, so that they will be more narrowly broadcast to just the areas affected:
http://nymag.com/selectall/201...
http://www.theverge.com/2016/9...

Re:Don't care, already turned off

[ArmoredDragon]

However, in their favor, the adjustments to the alert system also are going to improve the geographical targetting, so that they will be more narrowly broadcast to just the areas affected

I kind of doubt that will make a difference for amber alerts. I think the idea is that the kidnapper can have driven a long ways away by the time the alert is made, so they will invariably make it blanket a large area. I still turn off the amber alerts though because every time I've had one happen, I've either been in bed or been in my office with no chance of hitting the road to be able to see the perpmobile speeding away.

I also turn off the severe weather alerts because we routinely get severe heat warnings (which I've received while riding my bike one time and I didn't feel hot at all) flash floods (if you're in an area affected by a flash flood, then the warning is already too late, and if you get stuck in one after the fact you're retarded and probably deserve to get a Darwin award) and dust storm warnings (honestly, who gives a fuck?)

I leave the extreme weather alerts on but have yet to ever get one, but I'm in Phoenix Arizona where there's basically no such thing as natural disasters.

Re:Here in KC

[tippen]

I have found this system useful.

So enable it on YOUR phone and let everyone else decide whether they want it or not on their phones.

Re:Next update

[PPH]

Only members of the the Inner Party can turn off their Telescreens.

I forget. Did the citizens of Oceania have to buy their Telescreens and pay for monthly service?

Feature phone FTW!

Re:Useless system.

[MachineShedFred]

My favorite was when I was working in a large office shortly after this was pushed out in both Android and iOS, and the carriers turned it on - there was an Amber alert and you could hear that loud as fuck sound coming from hundreds of phones across the building and everyone wondering what in the hell was going on.

And why is that alert three times louder than any other sound the phone is capable of making? Are the just begging for people to get pissed and turn it off?