Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls (arstechnica.com)

submitted 1 year ago by alyaza@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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[-] Drusas@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

I used to work 911, and butt dials have been a big problem for a long time. When you get a ton of them, it's easy to close the call and ignore it, but you have to take into consideration that sometimes it could be a real emergency and the caller is not able to safely speak. On the other hand, you realistically cannot try to investigate every single one and waste limited, valuable resources. It is a real problem.

[-] fische_stix@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

As a supervisor on the EMS firld side, I have always had lots of respect for dispatchers' ability to tell what is a malicious false, an accidental false, and a person unable to talk due to threat or illness. Also, I will get called by dispatch and asked if I want EMS to standby while law enforcement investigates or have law enforcement on standby while we investigate in some cases.

Accidentally calls are not some new thing. Apple watches dial 911 all the time while people exercise.