Weekend 999 calls increased by approximately 700 due to smartwatch malfunctions at music festivals, as reported by British police.
Festival-goers at Download 2023 found themselves in a pickle over the weekend. Turns out, their smartwatches were creating a bit of a ruckus by making false 999 calls – about 700 of them, to be exact. You'd think these buzzing devices had taken a disliking to the moshpit madness, but it was merely the crash detection feature going haywire. See, the physical intensity of the moshpit triggered this feature, mistakenly believing wearers were in a darned collaboration with pavement rather than simply rocking out.
The Leicestershire Police didn't mince words. They explained that these erroneous calls had to be investigated, which meant their contact handlers were busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger, keeping them from dealing with genuinely emergent situations.
So, what's a punter to do? If you don't wanna be that guy causing chaos, just ditch the smartwatch or switch it to airplane mode. If it does give you the heebie-jeebies and calls the emergency services, stick around and chat with them to let 'em know you ain't in danger.
As for whether the fans followed the advice, we ain't got a clue yet. The festival ended yesterday, and Green Day and Sleep Token put on a cracking show that (thankfully) didn't involve any yelps from the emergency services.
Now, this ain't the first time Download's been in the doghouse this year. Recently, there was a tiff about the restrooms, with the festival adhering to official guidelines that barred trans folks from using the bathroom of their identified gender. Not cool, huh?
Several artists, including Pinkshift and Witch Fever, voiced their opposition, and though the festival backpedalled with a statement promising gender-neutral bathrooms, the damage had already been done. beauty and cosmetics brand Lush cut ties with the event, citing their commitment to inclusivity.
Festival-goers might consider adjusting their lifestyle to manage gadgets, such as switching smartwatches to airplane mode or opting for simpler alternatives, to avoid similar issues in the future. Moreover, technology companies could potentially improve smartwatch features to reduce false emergency calls, especially during high-intensity situations like concerts.
