Q: is this the notice from the govt you can't turn off?

What carrier update? From what carrier, in what country?

AT&T recently starting pushing out the update to enable the mandatory Emergency Alert System.  You can disable Amber Alerts and Emergency Alerts if you want, but you can not disable Presidential Alerts.

The system is mandatory under FCC regulations.

Thank you, BankerAL and KiltedtTim, for explaining the new update that appears in settings--->notifications. I vaguely remember when this rule got pushed onto the FCC during the Bush administration when the son of Colin Powell was in charge of it (is that right?). It would not be a regulation of the FCC had people protested it.

I am opposed to government having a mandatory an open door to our privately owned devices. While we can turn off amber and emergency alerts, we cannot turn off the new capacity of the President of the United States - whoever that is at the time - to communicate directly to us. This power can be abused and people can be either led or mislead by means of it. In the future, I would expect not just safety warnings, but also presidential directives that if we do not obey would be punishable by laws favoring corporate powers. So, I wonder if the safety factor is worth this risk? Many think so, but I think not.

The government does not have an "open door" to your privately owned devices.

Please take your tinfoil hat politics somewhere else. You're just making yourself look like a fool.

Talk to your congressman. These forums are for technical support, not political discussions.

What is the earliest version of IOS that the government alerts is compatible with?

I believe it's compatible with 6.0 on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.