Phones that are turned off, in airplane mode won't receive emergency alerts | Fact check

Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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The claim: There's no way to opt out of emergency broadcast alerts

A Sept. 28 Facebook video (direct link, archive link) shows a woman briefly reacting to a clip of two men talking about the Oct. 4 national emergency broadcast test.

"We've got whistleblowers, including a FEMA one, who said, 'Look, uh, they've already done this test in other countries. I was there, you can't opt out,'" one of the men says. "You turn your device off – it doesn't matter. It's still going to go off."

The on-screen text says, "You CAN'T opt out!"

The post garnered more than 17,000 shares in six days. Similar versions of the claim have been shared on Facebook and TikTok.

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Our rating: False

Cellphones that are off, in airplane mode, outside of cell service or using non-participating network providers won't receive national emergency alerts. Imminent threat and AMBER alerts can also be avoided through notification and Wi-Fi settings.

There are several ways to opt out of emergency alerts

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission tested the nation's two-pronged emergency alert system on Oct. 4. The Emergency Alert System broadcasts to radios and TVs, while Wireless Emergency Alerts go to cellphones, according to a FEMA press release.

The clip included in the Facebook post shows "Man in America" podcast host Seth Holehouse talking to his guest, Todd Callender, about cellphone alerts.

Contrary to the men's claim, there are several ways to opt out of emergency alerts.

The National Weather Service says on its website that you may opt out of emergency alert messages for imminent threats, such as active shooters or extreme weather events, and AMBER alerts, but not for presidential messages sent out during national emergencies.

To avoid imminent threat and Amber alerts, the weather service directs users to a video published by the Cellular Telephone Industries Association that says you can turn off your phone or turn off notifications for emergency alerts in phone settings.

You can also switch to airplane mode or use "Wi-Fi only" to avoid these alerts, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

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National alerts like the test sent out on Oct. 4 won't be stopped by changing Wi-Fi or notification settings, however.

The only way to avoid these alerts is to turn off your phone or use airplane mode, according to a FEMA fact sheet.

Phones incompatible with the tests, those with non-participating wireless providers and those outside the range of an active cell tower also won't receive the alerts, the fact sheet says.

USA TODAY reached out to the "Man in America" podcast and the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Lead Stories and Reuters have also debunked the claim.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yes, there are ways to avoid FEMA emergency alerts | Fact check