Debate about the use of frequent emergency alerts sent to cell phones
 

In an effort to get it out of the other thread, here's a new one.

Good call.

Yes, this would be a better place to discuss this issue.

Though I don't think the other thread was the place to debate it, I do agree with King that alerts going out one minute apart are completely excessive. It would make more sense to send it only once unless there is new information available.

The timing sounds like it was also pretty annoying. I'd be pretty irritated if I were woken up at 6am with an Amber Alert. Chances are, I wouldn't have seen the girl while lying in bed. Or at least, if I did, I'd have bigger issues on my hands than annoyance with my cell phone.

Katie Horner's true calling.

LoneWolf and Brainiac should be along shortly to tell you what a heartless, soulless bastard you are.

this is a ****ing stupid discussion.


who really gives a **** if they alert you every ****ing second if it gives even a 1% better chance of saving a child's life.


quit bitching about stupid shit

the child was killed. anyone bitching about getting some text alerts and a stupid siren on their phone is focusing on the totally wrong thing

King's point is certainly valid, though. He was literally getting a text per minute. There's absolutely no reason for that, and the most likely result is that a ton of people will opt out of the alerts entirely, rendering them less effective overall.

you don't know how to shut off the phone?

couldn't agree more

Eh, I think it's the timing of it all. If it hadn't been in a thread that was so emotionally involved, I doubt there'd be such a ruckus.

Do I think it's a big deal for people to live with an alert here and there if it'll help save a life? Certainly not. But do I think that the way it was handled could potentially damage the system's usefulness? Absolutely.

something was wrong there. my wife got 4 total texts.

again a text a second would be worth it if they would have found that child alive because of them.

So you're suggesting people shut their phones off religiously every night so that they don't have to get an alert once a year or so?

wait... it said he got those texts in the AM... this all happened at night