[Illusion]

So my phone just went off this morning sending me a text notifying me an Amber Alert has just been activated. I didn't even know my phone could do that o.o...
I didn't know what an Amber Alert was at the time but just found out its a child abductor Alert system.
I just moved last week and I still don't have wee-fee (wi-fi). So I've been burning all the data on my phone looking up amber alert stuff until Wednesday when I get my wee-fee.
So has anyone else got one of these alerts?
Have you somehow disabled it?
And how did I get an alert when I never opt in for these alerts? Is the ND selling my information? *puts on tinfoil hat*

[Coda]

It's an emergency service set up through the cell system. It's capable of sending an alert to all cell phones in the area.

If you want to disable the alerts (because they're loud, terrifying, unexpected, and usually irrelevant because they broadcast them to WAY bigger of an area than is actually relevant):

iPhone:
* Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
* Tap on Notification Center and scroll all the way to the bottom.
* Under the Government Alerts section, toggle the AMBER Alerts or Government Alerts option on or off to enable or disable them.

Android: See http://www.androidcentral.com/amber-...-you-need-know because it varies from version to version and phone to phone.

[ml1201]

Yeah, those things scare the daylights out of me. ^^; Sadly we had one go off a few months ago about two kids that were kidnapped, and sadly they weren't found until it was too late. =(

[Coda]

I live in the Los Angeles area. There's like five million people here. If anything happens anywhere in Los Angeles county or a fair chunk of Orange County, the ENTIRE METRO AREA gets the alerts... even if I'm on the north side of town and the alert is in OC. (That's about 40-50 miles, for the record.)

[Kenome MoMoshima]

That's actually never happened to me.
I have a smart phone but I don't think it's an updated one.
I've had it at least two years.
But that's kinda cool that it does that.
Though it doesn't really serve you any purpose..

[Coda]

Yeah, that's kinda my thoughts too. If they'd put more work into targeting them appropriately so that it doesn't disturb people who couldn't possibly have seen the person in question, there would be much fewer people trying to turn them off.

[Demonskid]

I had gotten one a few months back. I kept the Text it sent me just in case. When I got the alert, it scared the crap out of me.

Seeing how the TV gets amber alerts across the screen at times, I wasn't too shocked that my phone gets them.. it being a smart phone type. I don't mind getting the alerts, i just wish it wouldn't scare the crap out of me when they send them =o=

[ml1201]

I'm in the same boat as DK. x'D I just wish it didn't startle me as much as they do.

[Demonskid]

So yea, I was sleeping when mine went off. something about a blue car.. i didn't pay attention to what it said i just wanted it to shut off. ._.,

[Yokuutsu]

I, after so many, found the setting, that the phone turned on by itself...I turned it off. Mostly, it would alert you of weather. I don't care....most of it won't come to anything D:

And even with the amber alert....I need pictures for me to remember it .-.

[LilPrincessKitty]

I got quite a few emergency alerts on my phone while visiting my father in another state, it was storming really bad while I was there.

[Glitch]

I never got one until I moved to Oregon! And now my bf and I both get them at the same time so it's like a chorus of loud shocking noises. Haha