7/8/2023 Denver – Colorado recently launched a new alert system to help locate people missing from Indigenous communities, but due to a spelling error in the application’s code, it ended up sending alerts for missing ingenious people instead. The programmer who developed the system misspelled Indigenous as “indigeneous” and the system autocorrected it to “ingenious”.

The result was that thousands of Coloradans received alerts on their phones, TVs and radios that they themselves were missing because they were ingenious or clever, yet they did not hold an influential position. The alerts were sent across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups proving that ingenuity lies within all of us.

Some of the recipients of the alerts were amused by the mistake, while others were annoyed or offended. Here are some of their reactions:

• “I was watching Netflix when I got the alert. I thought it was a joke at first, but then I realized it was serious. I mean, I know I’m smart, but I didn’t know I was missing. Maybe I should run for office or something.” – Lisa, a 32-year-old nurse from Denver.
• “I got the alert while I was driving. It scared me so much that I almost crashed. How dare they call me ingenious? I’m just a regular guy who works hard and pays his taxes. I don’t need this kind of attention.” – Mike, a 45-year-old plumber from Colorado Springs.
• “I didn’t get the alert. Does that mean I’m not ingenious? I mean, I am the governor of Florida!” – Ron, a 44-year-old governor from Tallahassee, FL.
• “I think this is a great idea. It shows that we have a lot of potential in this state and we should use it for good. Maybe we can solve some of the problems that our leaders can’t. We are the missing ingenious people and we need to be found.” – Maria, a 19-year-old student from Fort Collins.

Others have praised the system mistake for highlighting the diversity and potential of the people of Colorado. “This alert was a great way to celebrate and recognize the talents and abilities of our citizens. It shows that we have ingenious people in every field and every walk of life,” said Mike Gray, a professor from Durango. “And, it is a wake-up call for our leaders and decision-makers. It shows that they are not the only ones who know what’s best for our state and our country. They should listen to the voices and opinions of the ingenious people who are missing from their circles,” said Amy Red, an activist from Aspen.

The Colorado Department of Public Safety apologized for the error and said they have fixed the issue. They also reminded the public the alert system is designed to help locate missing Indigenous people, who are disproportionately affected by violence and disappearances in the state. They urged citizens to pay attention to all safety alerts and thanked those calling in with leads.

BY BS

The Journalist BS