So here is the story: text messages (SMS) are being sent to people advising them that they are not at liberty to stay in the UK and they should leave.
Link to Guardian article
Link to Indepenent article
When I first heard this story, in the Independent, my brain could not compute.
Firstly, why would anyone choose to communicate regarding such a delicate subject using such an impersonal method?
If you send an SMS message, you can't guarantee it's been read. I have friends I text about possible nights out, and they never respond - it's so frustrating!
But still the SMS comes. So you assume it's been sent to the right person.
I get a load of texts from O2. That's only right; they supply my phone and airtime, and I can't be bothered to go online and update my preferences so that I don't receive these text messages. There is no follow-up; O2 don't ring me up and ask if I received their SMS. My learning? There are no consequences to ignoring SMS.
So, people don't respond to SMS, and ignore SMS which are not from people they know.
Surely a better option would be to have someone visit the intended 'target' - that would be more effective.
What's the point of sending these, and why be so impersonal?
I'm a floating voter. I think the Tories are doing better on the economy, but Labour are more considerate.
When I hear about initiatives like this, though, it makes me wonder if there aren't more important things in this life, like manners and compassion. And then I start thinking about Michael Gove and other less 'nice' Tories, and it makes me think that possibly it might be worth having a Labour government again. Sod fiscal discipline, at least if we're all nice to each other we can go to hell in a handcart all together and smile about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment