The federal government wants to ensure it can disseminate a message to the masses, which is why nearly every cell phone in America will emit an alarm sound on Wednesday afternoon.
Starting at approximately 2:20 pm ET today, the federal government will initiate a nationwide emergency alert test, activating hundreds of millions of cell phones and other devices. The test is conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in coordination with the Federal Communication Commission as a way to ensure the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts are effective.
The government has partnered with wireless companies in order to conduct the drill and cell towers will broadcast the alert for 30 minutes, according to CNN. Consumers can't block national alerts but they can turn their phone off or put it into airplane mode to prevent the alert from coming through, the FCC notes.
Suspicions have circulated for weeks about the potential health risks posed by the high-frequency signals that could activate graphene oxide and nanoparticles. These posts urge people to turn off their phones, but FEMA has denied these claims.
"The national test and tones will be the same as those sent by more than 1,700 local, state, territorial and tribal authorities who use IPAWS to send alerts. FEMA is not aware of any adverse health effects caused by the audio signal," the agency stated.
While phone alerts for missing children and other local emergencies are beneficial to communities, the national test raises questions as to why the federal government is experimenting with nationwide mass communication for future emergencies. The federal government's use of the term 'emergency' has come under scrutiny in light of Covid-19 lockdowns and orders. Many have grown skeptical, believing that 'emergencies' are declared to expand power, and the federal government seeks to ensure it can reach the entire population when the next crisis emerges.
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