A Reddit user posted a screenshot earlier of an emergency alert they received this morning. It appears that the local system for emergency alerts in Virginia may have been hacked, because of the content of the message.
[Facebook Adds AMBER Alerts to User’s News Feeds]
Uplifting
The message reads:
Your area has been chosen for uplifting procedure (code #48670a). Spherical devices will be launched from an aircraft above your general location. In case of technological failure, please remain indoors while procedure occurs.
In science fiction, “uplifting” is a “developmental process to transform a certain species of animals into more intelligent beings by other, already-intelligent beings.” Emergency alert systems have been hacked before, like when the warning siren systems in Dallas, Texas were broken into last year.
In this case, the Redditor reached out to a friend and they got the same message. I contacted the person and they live about 15 minutes outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. I haven’t been able to find any other information, but this article will be updated if I find something.