BRUSSELS – Starting today, there’s a new way you can help locate a missing child simply by checking your Facebook app. AMBER Alert Europe is teaming up with Facebook to display AMBER Alerts on the News Feed of Facebook users when a child has gone missing. This will take effect in the Netherlands first.
“When a child goes missing the most important thing is getting out the relevant and correct information to the right people at the right time”, says Emily Vacher, Facebook’s Security, Trust and Safety manager. “By partnering with AMBER Alert Europe, we can help stretch the reach of this information even further, so that more people can participate in hopefully bringing a child back home safely.”
According to Frank Hoen, President of AMBER Alert Europe, the partnership and the subsequent Dutch launch open the way for other European countries to follow its example. “We know the chances of finding a missing child increase when more people are on the lookout, especially in the critical first hours. By partnering with Facebook we get these alerts out quickly to the people who are in the best position to help. We invite other countries to approach us about entering in such a life-saving partnership”, adds Hoen.
How it works
As soon as the Dutch National Police fear the life of a missing child is in imminent danger, it issues an AMBER Alert. When this happens, Facebook automatically sends an AMBER Alert to the News Feed of Facebook users. “It includes a picture of the child and any information that the public would need to be able to help find this child, for example a description of the vehicle,” says Vacher. “People will also be able to share the AMBER Alert with their Facebook friends, in hopes of extending the reach even further.”
To learn more about the partnership, feel free to contact us at info@amberalert.eu
Martine Vis, Dutch National Police, Frank Hoen, Founder AMBER Alert Europe and AMBER Alert Netherlands, Thomas Kristensen, Director Public Policy Facebook
Speaking: Thomas Kristensen, Director Public Policy Facebook
Team Facebook together with team AMBER Alert
