US unveils emergency alert system for mobile phones, computers

breitbart.com ^ | 7/12/06

[Revel]

The US government unveiled a communications system that in case of emergency should soon allow it to send SMS alerts to Americans' mobile phones and computers.

"We have the ability to do this. It's a major step," Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director David Paulson told reporters outside the US capital as he unveiled the program's design.

The Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) will include the participation of television networks and public radio stations and be based on an existing alert system built in the Cold War era for use in the event of a nuclear attack.

The new system will initially allow the government to quickly alert public organizations and first-aid groups in case of an emergency.

It is planned to become operational in southern and eastern states by the end of the year, and nationally at the end of 2007.

At the same time, the government said it will build a system that can also send alerts to mobile phone users and computers linked to the Internet.

The SMS messages will be sent out in case "something unfortunate has happened," said John Lawson, president and chief executive officer of the Association of Public Television Stations.

Internet-linked computers will automatically switch on to a video message from the US Department of Homeland Security while downloading instructions prepared specifically from natural disasters, chemical and nuclear attacks, and other calamities.

[Revel]

So imagine you are on the internet looking for realy importaint information and suddenly your computer is taken over by this alert. Imagine you are doing something really importaint and suddenly it is taken over to alert you that there is a severe thunderstorm in a city 30 miles away. It happens on the radio all the time. Ever wonder how they are going to cut you off from the internet in a time of disaster...LOL

[rocksblues]

As I use my cell phone about 20 minutes a month or less, I would sign up for a disaster alert. My wife though who uses up the rest of my minutes wouldn't.

[BenLurkin]

Does one ahve to sign up or is this going to be spam from the government?

[DoughtyOne]

...and the list of 'IMPORTANT' (suuuurrrreee) things they'll have to tell you about will expand exponentially once this is implemented.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

[observer5]

"Internet-linked computers will automatically switch on to a video message from the US Department of Homeland Security while downloading instructions prepared specifically from natural disasters, chemical and nuclear attacks, and other calamities."

You are kidding right? Anyway this crap is most likely to work only with Windose computers that get hacked into daily.

Good thing I'm not using this Crap!

[Centurion2000]

Yet another reason to keep up that stupid 911 tax.

[Pontiac]

So the Fed is going to have Administrator privileges to everyone's PERSONAL computer.

[Revel]

"Anyway this crap is most likely to work only with Windose computers that get hacked into daily."

Wishful thinking on your part. My guess is that this will come right to your browswer through your ISP. What operating system you are using will make no difference. Imagine some radio signal comes in to a little box a "Comcast" and Comcast disconnects all users from the internet and sends out the government message to all users browswers logged into Comcast. Then after some minutes or seconds you get reconnected to the internet Get the picture?

[Wiz]

We will have to admit to provide access to our computers and cell phones to the government as long as it has importance which may threat lives. If you were near the point of disaster that could kill you, why deny such public service? As long as it is emergency that may threat lives and limited to that case, I think it is reasonable to have government to notice the people to save lives. If you would like to deny it, don't blame the government for the risk you encounter for ingoring stress calls just like the liberal dominated MSM.

[Wiz]

probably, but let's hope only temporary limited privilege and with regulations what the government could do within that limitation.

[Don Joe]

Internet-linked computers will automatically switch on to a video message from the US Department of Homeland Security while downloading instructions prepared specifically from natural disasters, chemical and nuclear attacks, and other calamities.

BS.

Impossible -- UNLESS they also FORCE people to run software that will accept this.

Basically, they need to have a program with a socket in "listen" mode, sitting on a port, waiting to be contacted. This means that your computer will be operating as a server. It ALSO means that unless they give you a program to accomplish this, your computer will simply IGNORE any crap coming into whatever port they use.

Furthermore, video???? Sorry, but this computer does NOT "do video". Too little CPU and RAM resources, plus, it's on a MODEM. You remember those -- they are S-L-O-W, and are used by millions of people who cannot get fast Internet connections. Being rural means never having to say "I got DSL!"

This sounds like blue-sky crap that some nincompoop cooked up for his PowerPoint Presentation to justify his salary. (Filed under, "Everything is easy for the guy who doesn't have to do it.")

In short, it ain't gonna happen.

Now, on the telephones, that's a different matter. Of course, not ALL cellphones even handle text messages. My wife's, for instance, doesn't. And it's the only one we have. And it's only turned on when she's traveling.

For THIS we pay taxes? God have mercy....

[MediaMole]

This sounds like a great way for 733t haX0rs to pwn my computer.