'Phone sirens all going off at the same time while we sit quietly on the 197 bus will be just like an episode of Black Mirror'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

This weekend, people will get to experience what it’s like to be in a real-life Black Mirror episode when their phones all collectively sound off with a warning.

The Government will conduct a nationwide test of its new emergency alert service on Sunday afternoon that will see a siren-like alert go off for around 10 seconds on all 4G or 5G equipped phones - even if your phone is set to silent.

The system has good intentions behind it and is being tested as a potential way of informing the public in the future when there is a danger to life nearby, such as floods or wildfires, but there is something slightly dystopian about us all receiving the same siren noise at the very same time, isn’t there? READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community At 3pm on Sunday, mums on the 197 bus on their way home from shopping in Stockport, restaurant workers covering a mid-afternoon rush in the city centre, and students cramming in last minute exam prep in Fallowfield will all get the very same ping.

Drivers are already being warned that they could get fined for responding to the message too. The Government has tried to spread the message about the alert as far in advance as possible, but there’s still a big chunk of people out there who will be caught off guard.