I read two interesting articles on NYTimes.com , both related to cellphones.
The first article Text Alerts to Cellphones in Emergency Are Approved highlighted a new federal plan that would send alerts in the form of text messages in case of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, school shooting, or child abductions (known as Amber alerts).
The plan is not unlike what we have at CU, when text messages are sent out warning students of possible dangers on campus. The first use of this service, for example, was in August 2007 when a freshman student was stabbed at the UMC, and students who had signed up for the service received a message warning them to stay clear of that area. The national act being proposed stems from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, which mandates updates of the emergency alert system. With the huge number of text message users (an estimated 48 bilion texts are sent every month), this seems like a positive use of technology.
The second article had a bit of a different theme. Text messaging it seems, played a role in the Olympic torch protesters' plan to stop the torch's run through San Fransisco. While event organizers diverted the route several times during the running of the torch, protesters in the article said they used text messaging to quickly update others on where the torch would be rerouted.
Text messaging in both cases will be/was used to communicate with people in a very immediate, efficient manner. Technology like text messaging obviously can be utilized for many purposes by many diffferent people, and it is interesting to note that the articles both appeared in the same newspaper on the same day. Have you sent a text today?
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