“Horrible because it’s a reminder of the tyranny imposed on all of us by technology that has invaded our homes like Japanese knotweed, infiltrating every aspect of our daily lives,” she said.
Dowden tried to downplay fears of privacy and intrusion, saying “all people need to do is swipe the message or click “OK”.
“The test is secure, free to receive and one-way, and does not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data,” he said.
Judy Edworthy, an international expert on alarm systems and professor of psychology at the University of Plymouth, said the alert system was a positive development, even if its first broadcast took people by surprise.
“Despite the message that this is a test, I expect some people may well be baffled,” he told the Domestic Press Association.
Lawmakers also criticized the decision to award the lucrative IT contract for the alert system to Fujitsu, the Japanese firm responsible for faulty software in the post office system that led to innocent sub-postmasters being found guilty of fraud.