UK: Spoof website "Preparing For Emergencies booklet"

Student battles government over spoof site

Press Association
Wednesday July 28, 2004

A student is defying a "firmly worded" government request to take down a spoof website that pokes fun at the government's .
Thomas Scott claims he received an email from the Cabinet Office, just 12 hours after he launched his bogus website, asking him to take it down.

The fake website bears a strong resemblance to the official government site, but instead of coming from HM Government, it purports to come from HM Department of Vague Paranoia.

The 19-year-old York University linguistics student said he did it as a joke and has no intention of taking it down.

He said: "I got a firmly worded email asking me to take it down. I'm not sure if it was from someone high up or a low-level civil servant. Whoever it was they don't have a sense of humour.

"It is quite obviously a parody and I don't think anybody is going to be confused by it."

Mr Scott, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, said he had received 200 emails from the general public backing his spoof site.

"I just did it as a stupid joke, I never knew it would turn into this. The response has been amazing."

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said the real website contained a serious message and it was important that the public were not confused.

She added: "We are aware of the website and are taking advice."

She was unable to confirm that Mr Scott had been ordered to take down his website.

The government's website can be found at www.preparingforemergencies.gov.uk and contains "valuable and common-sense advice" for the public in the event of an emergency.

A spokeswoman for York University said the website was created at the student's home, adding: "The site is very obviously a spoof site, but it was undertaken outside the university environment. There is no connection with the university."

Quote:

Message from Douglas Alexander, Minister for the Cabinet Office

Welcome to the Preparing for Emergencies web site.

This summer we are sending an information booklet 'Preparing for Emergencies - What you need to know' to every home in the UK. While it won't panic people, it'll hopefully convince them to reelect me and all of my Labour cronies next year.

We are also launching a national advertising campaign letting you know to look out for the booklet coming through your letterboxes during August. In no way does this resemble the Reader's Digest Prize Draw.

This campaign is not in response to a particular threat, unless you count the threat from the Liberal Democrats.

Public safety is the Government's number one ten priority (the top three are reelection, kissing George Bush's arse, and stopping Gordon Brown becoming PM). We must be prepared to deal with any emergency, whatever it is or wherever it comes from. And that includes zombie attacks! And zombie pirate attacks! And killer robots! And both at the same time! Are YOU ready?

Please read the booklet, keep it somewhere handy and then get on with your everyday life, citizen.

DOUGLAS ALEXANDER MP, MINISTER FOR THE CABINET OFFICE

Quote:

What to do if you're not at home

Schools
If your children are at school you will naturally want to collect them as soon as possible in the event of a major emergency. But it may not be safe to do so. After all, the first place the terrorists hide is in schools! Do you want to anger the terrorists? Do you? Hm? I didn't think so. Stay home.

All schools have plans to cope with local emergencies such as fire and flood, but they're screwed if a bomb goes off. Have you made funeral plans? If not, talk to Frank Windsor, he does a good job pitching life insurance.

Businesses
Employers have a responsibility for the safety and security of their staff. They don't actually act on it, but you know, you could ask your boss if he has a plan. Then you could get LAUGHED OUT OF YOUR BOSS'S OFFICE AND FIRED.