Instagram has launched a new function called ‘Amber Alert’ to assist users become more aware of missing children in their area. The function is now only accessible in the United States, but it will soon be available in other countries, including the United Arab Emirates.
The alerts will include details of the missing child, including the picture, description and location of the suspected abduction. The alert is designed to be shared by users to help raise awareness so the missing children can be found with the power of social media.
The director of trust and safety at Meta, Emily Vacher, says “We know that the chances of finding a missing child increase when more people are on the lookout, especially in the first few hours. With this update, if an Amber Alert is activated by law enforcement and you are in the designated search area, the alert will now appear in your Instagram feed.”
Vacher said in her blog that the alerts were “rare and specific to the search area”, and if users get an alert through Instagram, it means there already is an ongoing active search to find the missing child.
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