Presidential Alerts on Your Cell Phone

[X Factor]

AT&T Wireless Rolling Out Forced President Obama Alerts For iPhone Users

I've got an iPhone and I looked at my settings and sure enough, Amber and Emergency alerts are enabled. I could turn them off (I haven't) but my understanding is the presidential alerts cannot be disabled. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Seems I should have the option to disable any notification I want.

What do you think. Should you be required to receive presidential alerts on your phone whether you want to or not? Options will be yes, no, and I don't know/maybe.

Working on poll right now.

 

[Gipper]

Not only should they have the ability to be disabled, anyone who actively follows that should wear a permanent "kick me, I'm an idiot" sign on his or her back that will never come off.

I know that some people think the POTUS symbol is the closest thing to porn, but anyone that involved (obsessed) needs to step back and take a breath.

Good idea if you're Ann Coulter or Chris Matthews or Glenn Beck. Average Joe - awful idea.

 

[X Factor]

Not only should they have the ability to be disabled, anyone who actively follows that should wear a permanent "kick me, I'm an idiot" sign on his or her back that will never come off.

I know that some people think the POTUS symbol is the closest thing to porn, but anyone that involved (obsessed) needs to step back and take a breath.

Good idea if you're Ann Coulter or Chris Matthews or Glenn Beck. Average Joe - awful idea.

Supposedly it would only be used for emergencies, y'know, like a terrorist attack or a really warm/cool/mild day attributable to global warming.

 

[ThePlayDrive]

No, I don't think it should be required, but the article seems to be assigning blame to the wrong entity.

The end of the article asks: Do you think AT&T Wireless and the US Government is overstepping its bounds by making it impossible to turn off Presidential alerts on your iOS 6.1 and higher devices?

Unless I'm missing something, it looks like the decision to make the alerts mandatory was solely AT&T's not the government's as no other service appears to have done that. Therefore, asking if the gov. overstepped its bounds in this case is nonsensical.

 

[Kanstantine]

What the hell is a "Presidential Alert"?

We will be receiving txt requests from Obama to donate $5 to the DNC?

 

[Gipper]

Supposedly it would only be used for emergencies, y'know, like a terrorist attack or a really warm/cool/mild day attributable to global warming.

Helmet alerts.

 

[Kanstantine]

Presidential SMS Alert #1

"Trayvon Martin could have been your son."

 

[X Factor]

What the hell is a "Presidential Alert"?

We will be receiving txt requests from Obama to donate $5 to the DNC?

Well if running low on campaign funds isn't a national emergency, I don't know what is.

 

[CanadaJohn]

AT&T Wireless Rolling Out Forced President Obama Alerts For iPhone Users

I've got an iPhone and I looked at my settings and sure enough, Amber and Emergency alerts are enabled. I could turn them off (I haven't) but my understanding is the presidential alerts cannot be disabled. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Seems I should have the option to disable any notification I want.

What do you think. Should you be required to receive presidential alerts on your phone whether you want to or not? Options will be yes, no, and I don't know/maybe.

Working on poll right now.

I appreciate the point you're making and agree with it, however, if you can't disable telemarketers from finding a way to contact you what hope is there that the President of the United States can be stopped?

 

[MaggieD]

AT&T Wireless Rolling Out Forced President Obama Alerts For iPhone Users

I've got an iPhone and I looked at my settings and sure enough, Amber and Emergency alerts are enabled. I could turn them off (I haven't) but my understanding is the presidential alerts cannot be disabled. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Seems I should have the option to disable any notification I want.

What do you think. Should you be required to receive presidential alerts on your phone whether you want to or not? Options will be yes, no, and I don't know/maybe.

Working on poll right now.

Yes, I think it's fine that one is required to receive these presidential alerts. If you subscribe to cable or watch broadcast television, you get them and can't opt out. What's the difference?

 

[Kanstantine]

Well if running low on campaign funds isn't a national emergency, I don't know what is.

Presidential SMS Alert #2

"Don't hate me cause I'm black"

 

[digsbe]

Your phone, your number, your wireless plan. You should be able to turn it off.

Then again you could ditch the iPhone and go for the more customizable Android systems

 

[X Factor]

Yes, I think it's fine that one is required to receive these presidential alerts. If you subscribe to cable or watch broadcast television, you get them and can't opt out. What's the difference?

Hmmm, Mags. Interesting question.

 

[X Factor]

Your phone, your number, your wireless plan. You should be able to turn it off.

Then again you could ditch the iPhone and go for the more customizable Android systems

I prefer a smart phone that actually, y'know, works. :2razz:

 

[CanadaJohn]

Yes, I think it's fine that one is required to receive these presidential alerts. If you subscribe to cable or watch broadcast television, you get them and can't opt out. What's the difference?

This is true if your phone plan does not charge you incrementally for each text and/or voice message you receive.

 

[Gipper]

Yes, I think it's fine that one is required to receive these presidential alerts. If you subscribe to cable or watch broadcast television, you get them and can't opt out. What's the difference?

You can change the channel.

The POTUS could be lying along the side of the road, riddled with bullet holes, and Skinemax will continue to provide me with all the soft-core entertainment I could ever want with no interruption.

 

[MaggieD]

This is true if your phone plan does not charge you incrementally for each text and/or voice message you receive.

Per government regulation, there is no charge for emergency alerts. Here's the Federally-required wording to be included in cell phone companies' terms and conditions:

Notice Regarding Transmission of Wireless Emergency Alerts (Commercial Mobile Alert Service)

Verizon Wireless has chosen to offer wireless emergency alerts within portions of its service area as defined by the terms and conditions of its service agreement, on wireless emergency alert capable devices. There is no additional charge for these wireless emergency alerts. Wireless emergency alerts may not be available on all devices or in the entire service area, or if a subscriber is outside of the Verizon Wireless service area. For details on the availability of this service and wireless emergency alert capable devices, please ask a sales representative, or go to www.verizonwireless.com/govalerts.

 

[MaggieD]

You can change the channel.

The POTUS could be lying along the side of the road, riddled with bullet holes, and Skinemax will continue to provide me with all the soft-core entertainment I could ever want with no interruption.

No, you can't change the channel. It's broadcast across all channels.

 

[Kanstantine]

Its funny that the right wing hackosphere is insisting on calling these "Presidential Alerts".

"ObamAlerts" would have been better. Or even "BarryLerts".

I kid of course. Nothing is beyond partisan hackery for these guys.

 

[Gipper]

50 bucks says this will parlay into phones being built-in with Twitter and an inability to not read Obama's tweets.

Probably also sends you an alert with his Super Bowl pick and Bracketology.

 

[Gipper]

Its funny that the right wing hackosphere is insisting on calling these "Presidential Alerts".

"ObamAlerts" would have been better. Or even "BarryLerts".

I kid of course. Nothing is beyond partisan hackery for these guys.

Your post just proved which side contains the bigger hacks. Thanks for that.

 

[Kanstantine]

50 bucks says this will parlay into phones being built-in with Twitter and an inability to not read Obama's tweets.

Probably also sends you an alert with his Super Bowl pick and Bracketology.

$10 says these "ObamAlerts" can change your front and main wallpaper to be a picture of Barry Obama eating ice cream.

 

[davidtaylorjr]

Supposedly it would only be used for emergencies, y'know, like a terrorist attack or a really warm/cool/mild day attributable to global warming.

We know that won't be the case. He wasn't even following Benghazi himself...

 

[CanadaJohn]

No, you can't change the channel. It's broadcast across all channels.

Perhaps they'll program things at the NSA so that Obama can just break into the call you're currently on and provide the emergency notice, kind of like when the operator used to break into your conversation in Mayberry to let you know Aunt Bea or Opie needed help.

 

[Kanstantine]

We know that won't be the case. He wasn't even following Benghazi himself...

Yes, we shall be getting daily SMS alerts from the Oval Office letting us know what color tie Obama is wearing.