According to a news report by Reuters, Facebook has initiated its ‘Safety Check’ option in the United States after a gunman massacred 50 persons at a Gay Night Club in New Orlando. It is a service which was started in 2014 and allows FB users to spread the message that they are safe especially after natural disasters or a crisis. It will also allow searchers of survivors in the affected area.
Facebook had indicated that it will turn on the features more often in an emergency situation and today’s measure was a step in this direction. The social site was severely criticized for not activating the feature after a bomb killed 43 people in Beirut but enabled the feature the next day after the ISIS attack in Paris.
The safety check feature allows the users to use the social networking site or app to inform people about their well-being in the event of a disaster – man-made or natural. As soon as the user selects the option ‘I am safe’ his friends are notified. Thus, users can verify if their friends are safe.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on his official page on Sunday that he was saddened by the tragic incident in Orlando, and his prayers are with the victim’s family and the LGBT community.
A lone gunman identified by the police as Omar Mateen, aged 29, stormed into a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 50 people and wounding more than 50 others. The gunman was killed after a three hours gun battle with SWAT teams.
Since its launch, the option has been activated sometimes such as the series of terrorist attacks in Paris in November and Typhoon Ruby in the Philippines in 2014.However, it was never activated in the US till today.
