US: Gaming emergency broadcasts coming

New York State authorities are currently testing a system that would send emergency broadcasts over online gaming networks.

Such warning messages can already be sent to the public through TV and radio, alerting people to natural or man-made disasters.

But the State Deputy CIO Rico Singleton revealed the new system will reach younger citizens through Xbox Live, PSN or Wii, according to Information Week.

The plan is still in its testing phase, and is part of a larger program called Empire 2.0, designed to make the New York government more efficient.

Other initiatives includes Homeland Security’s use of Second Life to train 700,000 first responders and the Department of Mental Health monitoring Facebook for potentially suicidal posters.