Skip to Content
Policy

The Tech Troubles Behind Hawaii’s False Missile Alert

January 15, 2018

On Saturday, Hawaii incorrectly warned citizens of a missile attack via their phones.

User interface fail: The error was reportedly a result of a Hawaii Emergency Management Agency employee picking the wrong option—"missile alert," not "test missile alert"—from a drop-down software menu. The message was sent, but cancelled about 40 minutes later.

Panic promoter? The Atlantic has put together a compelling argument, which posits that the 90-character messages sent by the warning system aren't suited to the way we use our devices these days. Instead, it claims, they may cause more panic than they do good, even when not sent in error.

Next up: FCC chair Ajit Pai says that the incident is "absolutely unacceptable," and that a full investigation is "well under way." Hawaiian officials have already changed protocols to avoid a repeat of the scenario: now, two employees must confirm that they want to send an alert.

Deep Dive

Policy

Is there anything more fascinating than a hidden world?

Some hidden worlds--whether in space, deep in the ocean, or in the form of waves or microbes--remain stubbornly unseen. Here's how technology is being used to reveal them.

Africa’s push to regulate AI starts now        

AI is expanding across the continent and new policies are taking shape. But poor digital infrastructure and regulatory bottlenecks could slow adoption.

Yes, remote learning can work for preschoolers

The largest-ever humanitarian intervention in early childhood education shows that remote learning can produce results comparable to a year of in-person teaching.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.