Emergency alerts on phones and tablets

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Disable or enable emergency alerts on mobile devices

Emergency alerts received on mobile phones are part of a notification system designed to warn the population about critical or dangerous situations in their immediate geographic area. These alerts are known as Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) in the United States, but similar systems exist in other countries under different names.

The Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system was established in the United States in 2008 and became operational in 2012. This system allows customers with compatible mobile devices, including Android and Apple phones, to receive messages geolocated text messages alerting about imminent threats to security in your area.

Alerts are sent to mobile phones and other compatible devices in the emergency area. They are part of a broader effort to use technology and communication networks to keep the population informed and safe in the face of natural or man-made emergencies and disasters.

These alerts serve several key purposes:

Hazardous weather warning: This includes severe storms, hurricanes, flooding, and other weather events that could pose an immediate threat to human safety.

AMBER Alerts: These are notifications about missing children. The system is used to quickly disseminate information about missing children and, in some cases, suspects in their disappearance.

Threats to public safety: This may include alerts about dangerous criminal activity, terrorist attacks, or any other event that poses an immediate threat to people in a specific area.

Public health emergency information: This has been used, for example, to send information about the COVID-19 pandemic./p>

Recently several countries are implementing this alert system and carrying out tests or drills, these drills can be annoying for some people, especially if they have not been previously informed, since their mobile phone or electronic device begins to beep at a very high volume when at the same time showing an alert message on the screen.

Do wireless emergency alerts pose any privacy concerns?

Unlike other messaging services, emergency alerts are sent to all compatible devices in a specific area, without requiring users to opt-in or give prior consent.

Emergency alerts are generally designed to be anonymous and not allow tracking of individual users. The system does not collect or store personal data of recipients.

It is advisable to consult the specific legislation of each country; However, wireless alert technology, by definition, does not store phone numbers, personal data, or device geolocation.

The government entities that send these alerts do not have the phone numbers of the alert recipients, so even a foreign phone number can receive the emergency alert if it is located in the location where the alert occurs.

Can I choose if I want to stop receiving emergency alerts?

Although not recommended, it is possible to disable wireless emergency alerts. This option is located in the device settings, and detailed step-by-step instructions for doing this are provided below.

Find the guide for your device model here and discover how to activate or deactivate emergency alert notifications and regain control of your devices on any platform.