In a bid to make raising an SOS as simple as possible, there’s an increased risk of false alarms from SOS features in smartphones and smartwatches diverting resources away from genuine emergencies. It’s a difficult balancing act in the complex issue of personal safety. 

In just a few taps or clicks of your phone, you can alert the emergency services to your location and emergency. If you take a tumble from your bike, your smartwatch can detect a fall and send for help on your behalf. 

But also, those few taps could have been a four-year-old trying to get the next episode of Bluey to play. It might be the impact of the phone holder pressing the side of your phone as you go over potholes, or a dip on a rollercoaster. 

And therein lies the problem. These SOS functions need to be simple enough to be able to raise the alarm quickly (or automatically). But as our phones and watches are used for so many varying functions, those taps and tumbles can indicate something other than a genuine emergency.

False 999 calls from smartphone features have been a growing problem in recent years. While these features are designed to help individuals call for emergency assistance quickly, they can also lead to a high number of accidental alerts. This can put unnecessary strain on emergency services and divert resources away from genuine emergencies.

In the UK, there are millions of calls to 999. A significant portion of these calls are false alarms, or non-emergency calls, and the ease of triggering smartphone or smartwatch SOS features means that individuals may be more likely to activate them accidentally.

To address this issue, some smartphone manufacturers have implemented safeguards to prevent accidental activation of the SOS function. For example, some phones require users to hold down the SOS button for a few seconds before it will activate, or require users to confirm the emergency before it is sent.

With a device that is trying to do everything, the important function of requesting help is either too easy, leading to false alarms, or too difficult. Even the simple action of pulling out your phone can exacerbate a dangerous situation, while remembering which button you’re supposed to press and how many times can be incredibly difficult when under extreme stress.

A personal safety alarm due to launch next month combines all the capabilities of smartphone technology, such as GPS and data connectivity, with a simple bluetooth button which activates the alarm. The Pick Guardian alarm from security firm Pick Protection builds on the foundations of an existing app already used by thousands of high-risk employees around the UK. 

And because the button is only used to raise an alarm, rather than tell the time or entertain the kids, the risk of false alarms is reduced.

One of the appeals of SOS functionality within items that we already have, like a smartphone or smartwatch, is that we’re already using these devices and will likely have them on our person. Personal safety apps also use this accessibility to make users feel safer, but can have the same drawbacks of either requiring the user to get out their phone, or accidentally calling 999 because it’s been knocked in a bag or pocket.

By combining the simplicity of a bluetooth button, that’s shorter than an AA battery and can be clipped onto everyday items like keys, and the technology of a smartphone, the Pick Guardian offers the best of both worlds. 

Rebecca Pick founded Pick Protection in 2014 when a neighbour was attacked, and nobody came to help. Since then, the company has been supporting the likes of British Red Cross and Arnold Clark in the protection of their high-risk employees. Rebecca, who is a passionate personal safety advocate, explained why phones are often the preferred option among business customers,

“They’re less likely to get left in a drawer like a standalone alarm might, and with our apps, the phone needs only a small amount of data to trigger an SOS. Employees such as housing officers who might face aggression need a way to discreetly raise an alarm, which is where a button that looks like a key fob comes in useful. 

 

We knew this combination would benefit individuals looking to feel more confident in their own personal safety, which is why we’re making this more widely available through our Pick Guardian later this summer.”

Until then, there are a few things we can do to make the most of all routes to emergency aid without raising a false alarm. By familiarising yourself with any emergency SOS feature on your phone or smartwatch, you are less likely to trigger this accidentally, helping ensure that emergency services are freed up to respond quickly to genuine emergencies.