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# Big Brother Puts Chips In Your Cell Phones
- URL: https://bklyner.com/big-brother-puts-chips-in-your-cell-phones-sheepshead-bay/
- Published: 2011-05-10T19:00:23.000Z
- Updated: 2011-05-10T19:00:23.000Z
- Author: Ned Berke
- Tags: personal localized alert network, plan, #API-Imported

![Mayor Michael Bloomberg announces new emergency alert system set to launch in NYC, May 10, 2011 (credit: Marla Diamond/WCBS 880)](http://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/img01343-20110510-11391.jpg?w=420)

Source: CBSNewYork

Recently, there were local fears of [new cameras for speed enforcement ](/board-nixes-speed-camera-enforcement-proposal/)raising “Big Brother” alarms. And, of course, Sheepshead Bites has [its own Big Brother](http://disqus.com/guest/686941eeb3f11102d54eabe6db6f5a26/?ref=bklyner.com). Now the city is prepping to roll out a new alert system, requiring cell phones to be equipped with special chips and software that would give the president a direct line to our handsets. Creepy…

In accordance with the Warning Alert and Response Network Act that was approved by Congress in 2006, New York City is set to launch a new national alert system that will notify the public in emergency situations. Here’s [CBSNewYork’s](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/05/10/national-emergency-alert-system-set-to-launch-in-nyc/?ref=bklyner.com) rundown of what it does:

> It’s called the Personal Localized Alert Network or PLAN. Presidential and local emergency messages as well as Amber Alerts would appear on cell phones equipped with special chips and software.

> The Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said the system would also warn about terrorist attacks and natural disasters.

> … Verizon and AT&T, the nation’s largest cell phone carriers, are already on board. Consumers would be able to **opt out of all but those presidential messages.**

> … For now, the alerts are capable on certain high-end cell phones but starting next year, all cell phones will be required to have the chip that receives alerts.

> By the end of the year, the new system will be in place in New York City and Washington and in cities around the country by the end of 2012\. (*emphasis added)*

Of course, those of you with a decent memory might remember that it was almost exactly a [year ago that the city rolled out Notify NYC](/citywide-emergency-alert-program-launche/), the nation’s largest opt-in notification alert system that does, well, just about exactly the same thing without the special chips or software.

Now, I’m no conspiracy theorist, so I don’t *really* believe this is a Big Brother thing. But it does seem a little creepy that they’re implementing what seems to be an override chip into your cellphone to deliver you messages directly from the president, especially when there’s a chip-less existing service that seems to do just fine. Remember those televisions in 1984? Yeah, thought so…

What do you think?