Government at Loggerheads With Critics Over Emergency Alerts as Test Looms

Government at Loggerheads With Critics Over Emergency Alerts as Test Looms
An emergency alert regarding a stay-at-home order during the COVID-19 pandemic is viewed on a mobile phone in Eastern Ontario, Canada, on Jan. 14, 2021. Sean Kilpatric/The Canadian Press
Chris Summers
Updated:

The government has urged people not to try and deactivate the emergency alerts system on their mobile phones ahead of a nationwide test on Sunday and has said the system is in the public interest and could be used to warn of terrorist attacks, mass shootings, or even nuclear threats.

Millions of smartphones across the UK will emit a loud alarm and vibrate at 3 p.m. on Sunday as the government conducts a test run.

Chris Summers
Chris Summers
Author
Chris Summers is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories, with a particular interest in crime, policing and the law.
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