×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

Facebook to enable safety check more in disasters after criticism

by Reuters
Monday, 16 November 2015 18:33 GMT

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg asks a question during the II CEO Summit of the Americas on the sidelines of the VII Summit of the Americas in Panama City April 10, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Image Caption and Rights Information

It was not switched on following bombings in Beirut a day earlier which killed at least 43 people

NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Facebook Inc vowed on Monday to turn on its "Safety Check" feature more often during disasters in response to growing criticism that it only enabled the function after the attacks in Paris.

In the wake of the deadliest attack on Europe in over a decade that killed at least 129 people and injured many more, millions of people used Facebook's Safety Check tool to tell their friends they were safe.

But many users on the social media platform criticized Facebook for not mobilizing the same safety function during other attacks around the world, especially after suicide bombings in Beirut a day earlier that killed at least 43 people. Facebook's safety check feature was launched in October 2014.

"Many people have rightfully asked why we turned on Safety Check for Paris but not for bombings in Beirut and other places," said Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg on his official account.

"Until yesterday, our policy was only to activate Safety Check for natural disasters. We just changed this and now plan to activate Safety Check for more human disasters going forward as well."

But many users were not satisfied with Zuckerberg's statement, accusing the social media platform for caring more about certain parts of the world.

Facebook has also introduced a new feature letting users apply a French flag filter over their profile photo for a limited time in wake of the Paris attacks.

TECH COMPANIES PAY PARIS TRIBUTE

Online home-rental marketplace Airbnb Inc, which held its annual host convention in Paris a day before the attacks, activated its disaster relief program, enabling people displaced in Paris to stay with certain Airbnb hosts for free.

Online retailer Amazon.com Inc and popular online community Reddit also displayed French flags on their homepages to pay tribute to the victims of the Paris attack.

Telecom companies including Sprint Corp, T-Mobile and Verizon offered free calling and texting service between France and the U.S., while Google allowed free use of its "Hangout" unified communications service. (Reporting by Angela Moon; Editing by Alan Crosby)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

-->