Facebook activates ‘safety check’ for Nigerian blasts

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 6:11 pm

FaceBook

Facebook Inc has activated its “Safety Check” feature after deadly blasts in Nigeria late on Tuesday.

The Facebook has been criticised by the users that the social media network was being selective about deploying it.

The social network, however, activated it after Friday’s gun and bomb attacks in Paris, drawing criticism from some users because the feature was not activated for suicide bombings in Beirut a day earlier.

Both the Paris and Beirut attacks were claimed by Islamic State militants.

In a post on his Facebook page, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said the feature would now we be used more frequently.

“We’ve activated Safety Check again after the bombing in Nigeria this evening.

“After the Paris attacks last week, we made the decision to use Safety Check for more tragic events like this going forward. We’re now working quickly to develop criteria for the new policy and determine when and how this service can be most useful.

“Unfortunately, these kinds of events are all too common, so I won’t post about all of them. A loss of human life anywhere is a tragedy, and we’re committed to doing our part to help people in more of these situations.

“In times like this, it’s important to remind ourselves that despite the alarming frequency of these terrible events, violence is actually at an all-time low in history and continues to decline.

“Deaths from war are lower than ever, murder rates are generally dropping around the world, and — although it’s hard to believe — even terrorist attacks are declining.

“Please don’t let a small minority of extremists make you pessimistic about our future.

“Every member of our community spreads empathy and understanding on a daily basis. We are all connecting the world together. And if we all do our part, then one day there may no longer be attacks like this.”