Civil Defences mobile alert system

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PaulBags

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#223702 13-Oct-2017 12:18

Is there any information around on rules/laws/etc governing this? Especially interested in requiring device manufactuers/carriers to not allow disabling, and any requirements for the formating of alerts?

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Biddle Corp

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#1882940 13-Oct-2017 12:26

Why would anybody want to opt out?

Linux

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#1882941 13-Oct-2017 12:28

sbiddle:

Why would anybody want to opt out?

So they are not woken at 1:30am when they are testing the system :P

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MikeB4

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#1882955 13-Oct-2017 12:39

You could talk to the office of the Ombudsman http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/

Mike

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The views stated in my posts are my personal views and not that of any other organisation.

He waka eke noa

PaulBags

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#1882962 13-Oct-2017 12:52

Thanks, I think I will ask the ombudsman.

I can think of a few reasons to opt out, but staying on topic for this forum mandatory unnotified & unconsented government software installation snuck in with an update is an interesting - and disturbing - precident, whether or not it was required by law.

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#1882969 13-Oct-2017 12:56

Software was not installed on the phone by the government for this feature to work ' Cell Broadcast ' was enabled in NZ in about 1998, It's part of the GSM standards from 2G to 4G and soon 5G

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PaulBags

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#1882971 13-Oct-2017 12:58

Check the supported phones list, Samsung installed this with a software update.

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#1882974 13-Oct-2017 13:03

PaulBags: Check the supported phones list, Samsung installed this with a software update.

Link?

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sbiddle

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#1882982 13-Oct-2017 13:18

I'm not sure why your think it's "government software". It's not.

It's core phone functionality delivered using a 3GPP standard. As NZ is one of the first countries to be deploying such an advanced solution based on this some handsets require firmware updates to support it.

As already discussed in the prior thread if you don't want to be alerted during a critical emergency I suggest you buy a dumb phone.

I simply can't think of a single scenario where people wouldn't want critical alerts warning of an imminent threat to life. For this very reason it's why it can't be disabled.

PaulBags

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#1882983 13-Oct-2017 13:18

link

Coil

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#1882986 13-Oct-2017 13:22

PaulBags: link

Yes that link shows you how to do a software upgrade on your device. It downloads the latest updates available from the manufacture.

PaulBags

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#1882988 13-Oct-2017 13:24

Here's two: phone's being used for other purposes (e.g my kitchen clock), and avoiding scheduled tests.

Also, the alerts' format is terrible. It's not a reason to disable, but would like to see it addressed.

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#1882989 13-Oct-2017 13:24

What is your point? This is going to read as a Tin foil hat thread soon

What is wrong with the alert format? Wrong font?

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kiwicam

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#1882990 13-Oct-2017 13:25

Amazingly, in iOS it appears they can be turned off. I'm not going to share the details here but, if you really want to make sure you can sleep through potentially deadly disasters, do a quick search.

PaulBags

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#1882995 13-Oct-2017 13:31

My point is what are the laws and regulations? ARE there any?

sbiddle

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#1882996 13-Oct-2017 13:32

PaulBags: Here's two: phone's being used for other purposes (e.g my kitchen clock), and avoiding scheduled tests.

Also, the alerts' format is terrible. It's not a reason to disable, but would like to see it addressed.

I can't see why there would ever be a need for scheduled tests.

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