Facebook, Google Activate SOS Features After Barcelona Attack

Advertisement
By Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: 18 August 2017 11:12 IST

Soon after the Barcelona attack that left 13 people dead, Facebook and Google activated their safety check features to let users in the vicinity inform their friends that they were safe and get nearby support.

Facebook created a page, titled "The attack in Barcelona, Spain" which users used to "check in as safe", The Telegraph reported on Thursday.

Recently launched SOS alert feature by Google gave people up-to-date news and information about Barcelona attack.

Advertisement

The page also included helpful phrases for those who might be affected.

Facebook Safety Check was introduced in 2011 and was used for only natural disasters until 2015 Paris attack.

It was later widely used in terror attacks that took place in London, Nice and Berlin.

Advertisement

"When Safety Check is activated, users who Facebook determines to live or spend a lot of time in the affected area are sent a push notification asking if they want to check in as safe," the report explained.

The feature sends a notification to friends of those who check in - confirming they have been marked as safe.

Advertisement

This also opens up ways for the people to offer help for those who are in need of help like food, shelter or medicines.

On the similar lines, Facebook introduced "Community Help" feature in February and claimed that it was inspired by the response to flooding in Chennai in which many people opened up their homes for the affected.

 

Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Here's When the Realme P4 Power 5G Will Launch in India
  2. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra May Arrive in Six Colourways
  3. Oppo A6 5G Launched in India With 7,000mAh Battery at This Price
  4. Vivo X200T With Zeiss Cameras to Launch in India on This Date
  5. SpaceX Adds 29 More Starlink Satellites in Rapid Falcon 9 Launch From Florida
  6. Scientists Find Clue to High-Temperature Superconductivity in Quantum Materials
  7. Redmi Note 15 Pro Series Might Launch in India With These Storage Options
  8. Sony to Cede Control of Bravia TVs to China's TCL Electronics
  9. Three Far Cry Games Are Getting 60 FPS Patch on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X
  10. Bindiya Ke Bahubali Season 2 OTT Release Date: Know Everyting About Cast, Plot, and Mo
  1. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra May Arrive in Six Colourways, Tipster Claims
  2. Scientists Find Clue to High-Temperature Superconductivity in Quantum Materials
  3. New Dark Matter Simulation Could Change How Galaxies Are Thought to Evolve
  4. SpaceX Adds 29 More Starlink Satellites in Rapid Falcon 9 Launch From Florida
  5. Sony to Cede Control of Bravia TVs to China’s TCL Electronics
  6. Adobe Premiere Integrated With AI-Powered Firefly Platform; New After Effects Features Rolling Out
  7. Samsung Upgrades Bixby With Perplexity-Powered AI Features, Takes Page Out of Apple’s Playbook
  8. Google Reportedly Working On New Live Features and Agentic Mode for Gemini Assistant
  9. Redmi Note 15 Pro+, Redmi Note 15 Pro RAM and Storage Options, Key Specifications Leaked Ahead of India Launch
  10. Eddington Arrives on OTT: What You Need to Know About Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal Starrer Thriller
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.