New Facebook Feature Designed To Help Users Touch Base In Case Of Emergency

Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online
Facebook has unveiled a new feature that most people probably wish they will never have to use: Safety Check, a tool designed to make it easier for members of the social network to keep in contact in case of natural disaster.
Inspired by the use of technology and social media during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Safety Check makes it easier for users of the social network to let others know they are okay, as well as check on others in the affected area and to mark people on their friends list as safe, Facebook’s Naomi Gleit, Sharon Zeng and Peter Cottle explained Wednesday in a blog post.
“In times of disaster or crisis, people turn to Facebook to check on loved ones and get updates. It is in these moments that communication is most critical both for people in the affected areas and for their friends and families anxious for news,” they said. “We want to provide a helpful tool that people can use when major disasters strike.”
According to Chris O’Brien of VentureBeat, Safety Check grew out of the Disaster Board that Facebook engineers in Japan set up following the events of 2011. The feature is activated after a natural disaster occurs either near the city listed as a person’s place of residence, or a nearby area if location settings are activated.
“A simple I’m safe / I’m not in the area set of buttons can push an update (and comments, if you enter them) that’s visible only to people on your friends list, intended to quickly give some piece of mind when they notice a USGS report for your zipcode – or worse,” explained Engadget’s Richard Lawler. “If you simply have friends who are in the area of a natural disaster, there’s a notification when they check-in as safe that can take you to a list of their updates.”
“Unfortunately, these kinds of disasters happen all too frequently. Each time, we see people, relief organizations and first responders turn to Facebook in the aftermath of a major natural disaster,” Gleit, Zeng and Cottle added. “If you’re ever in a situation that would require you to use Safety Check, we hope it’s a tool that helps you stay connected to those you care about, and gives you the comfort of knowing your loved ones are safe.”
Safety Check should be available now, O’Brien said, and the feature can be used anywhere in the world on the Facebook desktop site, as well as Android and iOS devices and feature phones, according to Gleit, Zeng, and Cottle. Only friends will be able to see the safety status and any comments posted using the service, Facebook added.
“A truly useful tool, or just a cagey way to try to take some of the creepiness out of the apps’ location tracking features? We’re figuring the latter impression doesn’t hurt from Facebook’s perspective, but in this connected age it’s also a reflection of how people really use the net in trying times,” Lawler said. “Additionally, it can take some pressure off of overloaded infrastructure with everyone trying to call affected areas after disasters hit.”
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