The US has a similar alert system for emergencies and most alerts you see are to look for a number plate because of a recent child abduction:
Emergency warning text and siren to be sent to every phone in Australia [July 27 at 2pm AEST]
Submitted 1 day ago by Zagorath@aussie.zone to australia@aussie.zone
Comments
porcoesphino@mander.xyz 1 day ago
Zagorath@aussie.zone 23 hours ago
We’ve had state-based similar systems before, though they have sometimes been unreliable, which is why this system is being rolled out at the federal level.
But I don’t think we’ll be getting something similar to your amber alerts. The article only describes two levels of alert, one for serious safety threats, and one for a warning that safety threats might be along soon.
The_Decryptor@aussie.zone 22 hours ago
We’ve already got amber alerts here, have for nearly a decade, except for some stupid reason the government did an exclusivity deal with Facebook so you only get them if you use their app.
DancingBear@midwest.social 19 hours ago
Except for that one time they accidentally sent out the warning to everyone in Hawaii that ballistic missiles were inbound in 30 minutes
Oops 👀
My bad
Zagorath@aussie.zone 1 day ago
Relevant passages:
There are two levels of alert. The “critical” warning for imminent threat to life, like when a cyclone is about to hit, sounds an alarm and triggers a message on a phone’s home screen. These warnings are compulsory and cannot be turned off.
“Priority” alerts are issued when there is not an immediate threat to life but when people are advised to follow instructions before an approaching emergency, like a bushfire designated at the “watch and act” level. Phones can be set to opt out of priority alerts.
Prior to the national test on July 27, an alert will be sent to nine locations in June, including Majura in the ACT, Launceston in Tasmania, Port Douglas in Queensland, Liverpool in NSW, Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, Geelong in Victoria, Goomalling in Western Australia, Port Lincoln in South Australia and Queanbeyan in NSW.
The test message will read: “This is a TEST alert of AusAlert, Australia’s new emergency warning system. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED. In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit www.ausalert.gov.au for more information. This message is authorised by the Australian Government.”
Contentedness@lemmy.nz 22 hours ago
Does the siren sound override a phone set to mute?
No1@aussie.zone 14 hours ago
How about if it’s off?
Zagorath@aussie.zone 21 hours ago
Find out 27th July!
imetators@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 hours ago
Germany reporting. My phone stays always on no sound no vibration. It would still ring loudly on alert. But there also are silent alerts (like in Korea) that wont ring the alarm.
FireWire400@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Germany has been doing these or a while now, works quite good (the tests at least). It only works when your phone is connected to a cell tower, though, that£s not really a problem over here in Germany but it could be quite a big one in Australia.
I don£t think cell coverage isn’t that good in the Outback, even with Vodaphone doubling their network coverage (har har).
Zagorath@aussie.zone 23 hours ago
One thing that’s worth noting is that you don’t need to be connected to a tower to receive the alert. You could be a Vodafone customer and get the alert if there’s only Telstra service where you are.
FireWire400@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
Your phone still has to be able to connect to a tower (of any provider), no?
Ilandar@lemmy.today 1 day ago
Does the German one play a sound too? When I was in Korea I received alert messages but there was no associated “siren” like this.
FireWire400@lemmy.world 1 day ago
It does play a sound at full volume. I was in a waiting room at my GP when they sent the test alerts in 2023 or so, it was quite funny hearing every phone in the room going off one by one.