In light of the Paris terror attacks on Friday Facebook has activated its Safety Check feature, which allows users to check in on family and friends during times of crisis.
The feature sends a GPS-based location to users who are in a zone affected by crisis or disaster and asks them to check in to let people know they’re safe.
People can then click on the Safety Check feature to see if their friends have checked in.
The company built the feature over a year ago and has used it five times during 2015 during natural disasters.
This is the first time it has been used for a human-caused tragedy.
If you have friends in Paris you can click here to see if they have checked in.
In a statement, Facebook wrote: “We are shocked and saddened by the events unfolding in Paris. Communication is critical in these moments both for people there and for their friends and families anxious for news.
“People turn to Facebook to check on loved ones and get updates which is why we created Safety Check and why we have activated it today for people in Paris.”
Elsewhere, Uber has also announced it has suspended its service in Paris.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
