FEMA to test 'Presidential Alert' system next week

[PunkinPi]

Source: NBC News

Next Thursday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will do its first test of a system that allows the president to send a message to most U.S. cellphones.

The test message will have a header that reads "Presidential Alert," according to the agency.

Users whose phones are on will twice hear a tone and vibration and then see an English-only (for now) message: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

The wireless emergency alerts (WEA) system was authorized by Congress in 2015 under a law that states the "system shall not be used to transmit a message that does not relate to a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster or threat to public safety."

Experts didn't appear to be too concerned that Trump, known to use his smartphone to blast opponents, berate subordinates and take shots at the news media on Twitter, could abuse WEA.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fema-test-presidential-alert-system-next-week-n909816

[Renew Deal]

1. The have to do the zombie one

I’ll take alien attack too.

[justhanginon]

2. First alert trump sends; "no collusion, no collusion!"

[durablend]

19. Then after that...

"VOTE REPUBLICAN OR YOU'LL DIE!!!"

[ChiTownDenny]

23. Witch hunt! n/t

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Testing the system is a man-made disaster and threat to public safety

"Vote Trump to end this total Witch Hunt!"

[Sherman A1]

4. Perhaps a good week to

Turn the phone off.

[NCjack]

5. This system could be useful under the control of a responsible adult. Maybe the

president of the RED CROSS. But, not FAKE president* Trump.

[The Genealogist]

6. "system shall not be used to transmit a message..."

Since we all know what an ace Trump is at following laws, I suppose we can expect him to use this as his own private Twitter 2.0? No collusion! Lock Her Up! Witch Hunt! Word Salad with Rotten Tomato Dressing! I can hardly wait.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

7. Well, he told his followers that he was the only one they were to believe.

The logical step would have been to put the system in the hands of FEMA, but Donnie Two Scoops always has to make it about him.

Any bets on how long it will be before he sends a "Presidential Text Message" after the test one? I'll bet it shows up in less than a week.

[Chemisse]

10. I bet you are right.

How could he resist?

It's like giving a five-year-old a fun new toy and expecting him not to play with it.

[William Seger]

26. It's like giving a 5-year-old a loaded gun

... and telling him it's only to shoot intruders.

[Mc Mike]

8. Several times, at political events for Dems and Dem causes in the last 3 years,

some rando dingaling Alex Jones birchers have approached me to talk about some kind of garbled cartoon conspiracy.

They'd hand me a business card which described the attack they said was coming, with a website cited on it as the only source for info.

The general idea was that at some future randomly picked mass event, sports, concert, whatever, some nefarious entity would send a false flag statement about a crisis or attack underway, to everyone's cell phones, in order to stampede the crowd, and cause mass casualties.

They had a forgettable name for it, something - i - pede, I recycled their informational business card and never gave their website any traffic. Probably has a virus on it. It would be ironic if the recipient of the card looked at the website on their smart phone and got a virus on it.

Anyhow, shitler using the Nat'l WEA System to make pronouncements kind of reminds me of those Jones nazi birchers' little conspiracy card, for some reason.

[WePurrsevere]

9. Oh aren't they precious. So, they're not concerned eh?

"Experts didn't appear to be too concerned that Trump, known to use his smartphone to blast opponents, berate subordinates and take shots at the news media on Twitter, could abuse WEA."

A normal president would actually care about the rule of law and not want to abuse their power like that. Trump has shown repeatedly that he thinks that he's immune from it all and the aggregating as heck truth is that with the current balance of power all in the hands of Republicans who his and apparently Putin's butt kissers he probably is.

Hopefully he won't abuse it but I certainly wouldn't put it past him to do so given half a chance would any one else here?

[peekaloo]

11. An Orange alert?

Too bad you can't reply (or can you) to those messages.

[getagrip_already]

12. PLEASE dox his cell phone number......

He gives it out to just about anyone. Someone should publish it. Now that would be fun.

[3Hotdogs]

13. "This is from your president. My ass is in trouble. Don't believe the lying press.

Defeat the lying Dems. I thank you for your thoughts and prayers in my time of trouble, but they don't do shit. SEND MONEY to #CREEP (Commitee to Re-elect the President)."

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Hopefully EVERY local TV and radio station nationwide will let people know this is coming

because all I can imagine is a nationwide freak-out.

I know that one of my older Samsung phones (S4) got a "test" alert text message, complete with the EAS sound and vibration, every single month on the same date.

[UpInArms]

15. A text from the Dotard to all cellphones?

I can’t think of a better way to get all the millennials to the voting polls

They will kick his ass to the curb

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

16. "Experts didn't appear to be too concerned..."

Experts are fucking idiots.

In what case has Tangeranus NOT abused something when he has the power?

[malthaussen]

17. Oh, no, another toy for him to play with?

Why Tweet when you can abuse Presidential Alerts?

-- Mal

[BlueIdaho]

18. So not Borowitz then?

What a fucking joke.

[TygrBright]

20. SO glad our phones don't do text messaging! We turned it off. n/t

[JohnnyRingo]

21. Oh great.

Another way for Trump to assail me with nonsensical blather.

Prepare to be bombarded on election day.

[LakeSuperiorView]

22. Great, as if the GD Twitter crap wasn't enough..

Is he going to put out a deplorable call to arms when they come to frog march him from 1600?

[truthisfreedom]

24. I have the most followers of any President evarrr

Literally every cell phone evarrrr!!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. Bad idea

We'll get to hear him every time he's pissed off about something which is quite frequent.

[marchellojones]

27. Thursday could be

Lets all make fun of Trump day and fill the social media with his stupid messages!