#FailedState #EmergencyAlertSystem
First-Ever Emergency Phone Alert Left Hongkongers Confused and Annoyed, Some have Turned Off the Alert Entirely
After the government sent out a city-wide emergency alert, Hongkongers across the city reacted with surprise and confusion, then angry criticisms against the move by the government.
Shatin District Council Chairperson Chris Mak was taking a taxi when the alert was sent out. The driver had about 12 mobile phones attached to his dashboard, and all of them went off at once. "The driver freaked out and swore aloud", he recalled.
Democratic Party's Poming Chan heard from a friend that a man thought the phone was about to explode. "He threw it onto the ground," his friend told him.
Even the pro-Beijing camp was critical of the government's use of the system. Joephy Chan, from the Federation of Trade Unions, said the information about hospitals was already on the news, and "there's no need to add an alert siren to it."
Legislator Kenneth Fok said the warning "could have given me a heart attack"; he was concerned it would scare the elderlies and children, and may even lead to accidents.
Legislator Dominic Lee, a vocal supporter of China, was even more direct: "Why aren't you sending alerts for real emergencies?" "Why wasn't it used in 2019? Or to refute the fake news that we're locking down the city?" (The system was actually introduced in 2020.)
Legislator Junius Ho also criticized the system's $150 million price tag. "It's a waste of money," he said, adding that the current SMS messages worked just fine.
The government's explanation, when it applied for the new system's funding, was that SMS alerts had to be sent through telecom suppliers, and "took too long".
Meanwhile, netizens have reported that the emergency alert triggered another wave of alerts - this time, of angry messages from their friends and chat groups. Media consultant Terry Yeung quoted netizens who called it an abuse of emergency communications, likening the government's usage to crying wolf.
Netizens have also begun sharing instructions on how to disable the alert in their phone settings. Many reported that they had already done so.
#CryingWolf #FailedState #EmergencyAlertSystem
Source:
Channel C HK
https://bit.ly/3tGz644
Terry的媒體懶人堂
https://www.facebook.com/terrylazyclass/posts/694815281931379
===
Related article
Hong Kong Government issued city-wide emergency alert for general announcement
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32380
.
First-Ever Emergency Phone Alert Left Hongkongers Confused and Annoyed, Some have Turned Off the Alert Entirely
After the government sent out a city-wide emergency alert, Hongkongers across the city reacted with surprise and confusion, then angry criticisms against the move by the government.
Shatin District Council Chairperson Chris Mak was taking a taxi when the alert was sent out. The driver had about 12 mobile phones attached to his dashboard, and all of them went off at once. "The driver freaked out and swore aloud", he recalled.
Democratic Party's Poming Chan heard from a friend that a man thought the phone was about to explode. "He threw it onto the ground," his friend told him.
Even the pro-Beijing camp was critical of the government's use of the system. Joephy Chan, from the Federation of Trade Unions, said the information about hospitals was already on the news, and "there's no need to add an alert siren to it."
Legislator Kenneth Fok said the warning "could have given me a heart attack"; he was concerned it would scare the elderlies and children, and may even lead to accidents.
Legislator Dominic Lee, a vocal supporter of China, was even more direct: "Why aren't you sending alerts for real emergencies?" "Why wasn't it used in 2019? Or to refute the fake news that we're locking down the city?" (The system was actually introduced in 2020.)
Legislator Junius Ho also criticized the system's $150 million price tag. "It's a waste of money," he said, adding that the current SMS messages worked just fine.
The government's explanation, when it applied for the new system's funding, was that SMS alerts had to be sent through telecom suppliers, and "took too long".
Meanwhile, netizens have reported that the emergency alert triggered another wave of alerts - this time, of angry messages from their friends and chat groups. Media consultant Terry Yeung quoted netizens who called it an abuse of emergency communications, likening the government's usage to crying wolf.
Netizens have also begun sharing instructions on how to disable the alert in their phone settings. Many reported that they had already done so.
#CryingWolf #FailedState #EmergencyAlertSystem
Source:
Channel C HK
https://bit.ly/3tGz644
Terry的媒體懶人堂
https://www.facebook.com/terrylazyclass/posts/694815281931379
===
Related article
Hong Kong Government issued city-wide emergency alert for general announcement
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32380
.
Channelchk
緊急警示｜區議員：逾10部手機的士佬D出嚟 李梓敬：可否出返真正緊急警示？ | Channel C
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