- US government to test WEA system on Oct. 4.
- Domestic violence victims advised to turn off phones during test.
- Federal government should consider taking steps to mitigate risk to victims.
The federal government will conduct a test of the Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA) on Wednesday, October 4, at around 2:20 p.m. ET. The test will send a test alert to all cell phones nationwide.
While the test is intended to ensure that the WEA system is working properly, domestic violence victims are advised to turn off their phones during the test period. This is because the WEA system sends a loud and intrusive alert that cannot be blocked, and it could alert an abuser to the presence of a hidden phone.
Delilah Reyes, executive director of the Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Shelter in Texas, told Forbes that victims of abuse can turn off their phones during the test period and ensure they are in a safe place when turning them back on. Nonprofit organization 911 Cell Phone Bank also advised domestic violence victims to turn off their cell phones during the test.
The WEA system has only been tested twice in the past, and it is being tested again in response to concerns raised by domestic violence advocates. In April, the UK government advised users to turn off their phones or put them in airplane mode to avoid receiving a test alert from the UK’s emergency alert system.
Around one in four women and one in nine men experience abuse from partners in the United States, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. A 2018 study found that family phone plans are a popular method that domestic abusers use to control their victims.
Domestic violence victims are often resourceful and tech-savvy, and one of the strategies they use to protect themselves is having a hidden phone. However, the WEA system could put these victims at risk by alerting their abusers to the presence of their hidden phone.
The federal government should consider taking steps to mitigate the risk to domestic violence victims posed by the WEA system. For example, the government could allow victims to opt out of receiving WEA alerts. The government could also develop a way to send WEA alerts to cell phones that are turned off or in airplane mode.
In the meantime, domestic violence victims should be aware of the upcoming WEA test and take steps to protect themselves. They should turn off their phones during the test period and ensure they are in a safe place when turning them back on.
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