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Obama can send you a push notification whenever he wants

Kai Ryssdal Sep 19, 2016
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BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

Obama can send you a push notification whenever he wants

Kai Ryssdal Sep 19, 2016
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
HTML EMBED:
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A quick sidebar to the bombings in New York and New Jersey over the weekend.

A lot New Yorkers got an emergency alert on their phones this morning, telling them to be on the lookout for Amhad Rahami.

The folks at Quartz did some digging, turns out there are three different kinds of alerts transmitted through what’s called the Wireless Emergency Alerts system.

Amber alerts about abducted kids; imminent threat alerts, which typically used for natural disasters and presidential alerts, which come directly from the president.

Here’s the interesting part: You can change the settings in your phone to not get Amber and imminent threat alerts. The presidential thing? You’re gonna get it whether you want it or not.

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