Facebook will be introducing a tool that may change the way you communicate with friends and family during natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis.
The new feature called Safety Check will work on Facebook’s mobile and desktop versions, including its Android and iOS apps, and will allow you to easily:
- Let people know you’re safe
- Check on others who are in the affected area
- Mark your friends as safe
How it works
The tool is activated after a natural disaster and if you’re in the affected area, Facebook will send you a notification asking if you’re safe. If the location picked up by Facebook is wrong, you can mark yourself as being outside the area.
The location will be determined by looking at:
- The city listed in your profile
- Your last location if you opted in to the Nearby Friends product
- The city where you are using the internet
If you’re indeed in the area, you can mark yourself as being safe, which will generate a notification and News Feed story with your update, allowing your friends and family to know you’re out of harm’s way. Only they will see your safety status and comments.
If any of your friends are also in the affected area, you will be notified of those who have marked themselves as safe and the Safety Check bookmark will show you a list of their updates.
The announcement was made in Japan, with Facebook explaining that the idea came about after seeing how people, relief organisations and first responders turn to the social network in the aftermath of a major natural disaster. Their hope is that the tool will help people stay connected with their loved ones in trying times.
Download your social channel updates guide for Facebook Safety Check feature here.
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