US Terror Advisory Confusing for Web Users and Browsers

Thursday, July 07 2005 @ 10:36 PM EDT

Edited by: Michael Hess

US Terror Advisory: Internet Browser Users See Yellow not Orange


Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Photo Credit and source: Department of Homeland Security.

BBSNews - July 7, 2005 (10:40 pm EDT) -- Some Firefox users are seeing yellow. A browser extension that has been downloaded 13916 times from Mozzila Update, with 29 this week prior to the latest raise in alert status is showing yellow, or "Elevated" terror alert status even though the transportation sector of the United States is facing a "High-Risk" threat of an attack.

One user commented at the Mozilla Update site: "d'ouh, the current threat level for mass transit systems has just been raised :/ the plugin should be able to show that too". Pointing out a weakness in the US Department of Homeland Security's ability to get out not just timely but also topical and targeted Web based information about possible terrorist threats US citizens may face.

Web scripts around the internet that depend on some output from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are showing a yellow Elevated Threat graphic instead of the current threat level of orange for the transportation sector of the United States after a press conference by Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security elevated the level, sort of. [Please see earlier story]

The US terrorist threat level was raised to orange (High-Threat) "for the mass transportation portion of the transportation sector" at 11:45 pm EDT today in response to terrorist attacks on four areas in London, England.

Other Webmaster resources list Homeland Security Threat Level code for Websites such as cgiexpo.com and their Website showing the graphic from their script is also showing yellow or "Elevated risk" that does not reflect at all the current risk of orange or "High-Risk" for the transportation sector of the US.

Clearly the efforts of these progammers are impeded by a threat advisory system that only has partial functionality across the technology sector, most importantly the internet itself.

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