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What is an "amber alert"? I've never encountered this before, and I don't see any option for it on my phone. I'm an Android user in the UK, if that helps.

• 57FkMytWjyFu 4y ago
  It's when you destroy the attention span of anyone within driving distance of a custodial dispute. There's also silver alerts, where you do the same for a missing old person.
  • javajosh 4y ago
    >anyone within driving distance of a custodial dispute. A plausible thing to say, but do you have any numbers to back this up?
    • 57FkMytWjyFu 4y ago
      Yes, while I was aware of this prior from other sources, here's some data. https://www.protection1.com/_cdn/fractl/amber-alerts/assets/images/a1.jpg https://www.protection1.com/_cdn/fractl/amber-alerts/assets/...
    • MerelyMortal 4y ago
      Yes, see the other comments in this thread about receiving alerts for places 8 hours away by driving, or the other comment where a user researched the alerts for a while.
• kozziollek 4y ago
  It's system to ask the public for help in finding abducted children. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert
• kube-system 4y ago
  As I understand it's called "Child Rescue Alert" in the UK.
• tsm 4y ago
  It's a US-specific system for alerting people to missing children. It's named after Amber Hagerman⁰, a 9-year-old who was abducted and murdered in the '90s. On smartphones they can appear as (very loud) notifications with details about the missing child, potential abductors, vehicle, etc. You'll also see the same info on electronic message boards along the motorway. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert#Namesake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert#Namesake
  • whuthu 4y ago
    Thank you for the info. I think I found the equivalent on my Android phone, seems it's the "Emergency Alerts" section of the Settings app. I've never received one though.
    • bombcar 4y ago
      Those also cover sever weather warnings (does UK have tornadoes and hurricanes?) and things like "incoming missile". They amusingly alert when they're not supposed to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Hawaii_false_missile_alert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Hawaii_false_missile_aler...
  • deleted 4y ago
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  • PragmaticPulp 4y ago
    > It's a US-specific system It’s deployed in a lot of countries. Search this thread for “Ontario” (Canada) for example.
    • RegnisGnaw 4y ago
      In Canada, we don't send AMBER Alerts though. We send all alerts as NATIONAL/PRESIDENTIAL ALERT.
• vulcan01 4y ago
  An Amber alert is an alert sent out by the local authorities in the US to all smartphones (and maybe radio? I'm too young to use a radio often) when a child is missing / suspected to be abducted. A Silver alert is very similar and is sent out when an elderly person (esp. with memory issues) is missing.
• deleted 4y ago
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• hedora 4y ago
  At least in the US, they almost always involve a custody fight. (A divorced parent actually kidnapped their own kid, or is late dropping a kid off.). Less commonly, it will involve other family members. (A parent is a drug addict, so the grandparents/uncle take the kid.) In a vanishingly rare subset of the alerts, it is a kidnapping where a kid is taken by a stranger. The phone settings are usually called "emergency alerts" or similar.
• deleted 4y ago
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• jcampbell1 4y ago
  The default tone on iOS is a cross between a smoke detector and a baby crying.