Mumbai, April 24: Wild fears have been raised in response to a test emergency that was sent to almost all smartphones in the UK on Sunday, April 23. At 3 o'clock, the government will test a new alert system by sending a message to nearly every iPhone and Android smartphone that is turned on in the nation. The test will take 10 seconds.

Why is UK Implementing Alert Test?

In the future, alerts will be used to inform British citizens about terrorist occurrences, civil defence emergencies, and weather disasters like flooding or wildfires, according to officials. Emergency Alert in UK: Netizens Share Funny Jokes and Memes As Rishi Sunak's Government Tests Emergency Alert System. 

90 per cent of smartphone users in the nation are anticipated to receive the test notice, which will be issued to the majority of iPhones and Androids that are on. The message will not be received by phones that are switched off, but phones that are set to mute will still play a sound alert.

How Will UK Implement the Tests?

"This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there is a life-threatening emergency nearby," the test announcement in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland will read.

"To keep yourself and others safe in a true emergency, heed the recommendations in the alert. You can find out more information at gov.uk/alerts. It's a test, really. You don't need to do anything”, it will further add.

The identical message will be included in both Welsh and English on the alert in Wales. Phone users will be able to swipe the message away or click "OK" to continue using their phone as usual after receiving the test.

Conspiracy Theorists Warn About Alien Invasion or Nuclear Attack

Numerous social media users have been pushing various conspiracy theories since the news surfaced. “Why the sudden UK Emergency alert warning? What do the powers that be know that we don’t know? Imminent terror attack? UFO/Alien invasion”, a user commented.

Another wrote, “The whole emergency alert thing is just making me think they think Russia is going to drop a nuclear bomb on us. This emergency alert thing that's coming in from Sunday... am I meant to believe that this has nothing to do with the very real threat of nuclear war, and that's why it's being introduced.” UK Phones to Get Emergency Alert System to Warn of Life-Threatening Events. 

The government advised Brits to keep in mind that the notice is only a test and made no mention of why today's notification was scheduled. Actual emergency notifications will only be used when there is an immediate risk to life, according to Oliver Dowden, the minister in charge of the emergency alerts.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2023 12:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).