Android Update Causes Spike in Accidental 999 Calls, English Authorities Advise Users

UK police agencies have witnessed a disturbing rise in unintended 999 calls.

On Saturday, there was an unusual spike in calls-nearly 9,500 to the 999 emergency line and another 3,000 to non-emergency lines. The fact that only 20% of these calls required an immediate response from the emergency services made things worse, The Independent reported.

The number of accidental 999 calls recorded to Dorset Police has also climbed dramatically, by almost thrice in the last year alone.

Authorities are now advising people to remain on the line and alert the operator if they dial 999 by mistake. Every quiet emergency call is investigated to protect the caller's safety and spend resources wisely.

Authorities say that a recent upgrade to Android handsets is partly responsible for the spike in false emergency calls. The update included a new SOS emergency feature that may be used by repeatedly hitting the power button.

Police departments have gone to social media to advise consumers to evaluate their phone settings and turn off the SOS emergency feature if not needed after realizing the implications of this update.

The Thames Valley Police, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabularies, and others have all seen a significant rise in unintentional calls in recent weeks.

The Culprit: Android Update

According to BT, a communications company, the Android upgrade has resulted in a substantial increase in accidental calls to the 999/112 service. While BT cannot look into every misdial, they swiftly forward suspected unintentional calls to the appropriate police authority for processing.

National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said that the Android operating system added a feature allowing devices to contact emergency services by pushing the power button five or more times, per The Yorkshire Times. These inadvertent activations, known as "silent calls," overwhelm police control centers and put additional stress on call takers.

It takes around 20 minutes to handle each erroneous 999 call, which costs significant time and resources. Call handlers actively examine police computer systems for earlier encounters with the caller and conduct follow-up calls to see whether help is needed, according to the head of contact management at Dorset Police Supt. Pete Browning.

He voiced worry about the heavy burden unintentional calls impose on the control room employees. Nearly 1,000 hours were spent on inadvertent calls in May, equal to 33 hours each day, according to the BBC.

How To Disable The Feature?

According to an NPCC official, Android users may minimize this problem by changing their emergency settings to turn off the new capability. The "Emergency SOS" button may be turned off by going to "Settings," choosing "Safety and Emergency," and then "Emergency SOS."

Although the Android SOS feature was intended to help with emergency calls, its simplicity of activation has led to unintentional calling.

To relieve emergency call takers, Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Dan Ivey called the option a "problem" and urged users to deactivate it. Users may choose to keep it active if they think it would be needed in actual circumstances.

To help emergency services effectively react to actual crises and quickly aid individuals in need, the public's participation and attention in monitoring and altering phone settings are crucial as authorities struggle to deal with the growing number of unintentional 999 calls.