Telecoms want you to stay home, show a “stay home” message on phones

As coronavirus cases are rapidly approaching the half-million mark, governments and companies are trying to limit the spread of the virus. There are various ways to do this, including urging people to wear protective masks and wash their hands often, but the best and most effective weapon against COVID-19 is social distancing. According to medical experts, this is the only way to slow the increasing rate of new cases and give health systems over the world time to prepare and react.

“Stay home” orders have been issued in many cities worldwide and in the States, and now there’s another little reminder to help keep us and others safe. The Verge reports that people are starting to see messages on their smartphones, urging them to stay at home. It’s a custom text appearing next to the antenna bars on the notification panel, where Telecoms normally display their brand name. First reports of the new feature came from Twitter, where social media consultant Matt Navarra posted and retweeted some examples of the message appearing on users’ phones in Germany.

 

Mobile phone operators in Germany show a #stayhome message when users switch off WiFi #coronavirus

ht Jannis Korner pic.twitter.com/IR197yCmvw

— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) March 24, 2020

 
Judging by the replies under Navarra’s original tweet, a similar thing is happening in many countries worldwide. Romania (“Stamacasa”), Peru (“YoMeQuedoEnCasa”), Turkey (“EvdeKal”), and Indonesia (“DiRumahAja”) are getting the message in their native language, while in some other countries like Belgium, France, India, and Nigeria the phrase is shown in English. Some users report that the phone’s Wi-Fi has to be switched off in order for the message to show, while the Wi-Fi icon is present in other screenshots as well. It’s still not clear if this is a coordinated effort by the telecoms or a request by the governments and health organizations.

Have you seen a similar message on your phone? Share it in the comments below.