New York: Facebook Inc vowed on Monday to turn on its "Safety Check" feature more often during disasters in response to growing criticism that it only enabled the function after the attacks in Paris.
In the wake of the deadliest attack on Europe in over a decade that killed at least 129 people and injured many more, millions of people used Facebook's Safety Check tool to tell their friends they were safe.
But many users on the social media platform criticized Facebook for not mobilizing the same safety function during other attacks around the world, especially after suicide bombings in Beirut a day earlier that killed at least 43 people. Facebook's safety check feature was launched in October 2014.
"Many people have rightfully asked why we turned on Safety Check for Paris but not for bombings in Beirut and other places," said Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg on his official account.
"Until yesterday, our policy was only to activate Safety Check for natural disasters. We just changed this and now plan to activate Safety Check for more human disasters going forward as well."
But many users were not satisfied with Zuckerberg's statement, accusing the social media platform for caring more about certain parts of the world.
Facebook has also introduced a new feature letting users apply a French flag filter over their profile photo for a limited time in wake of the Paris attacks.
TECH COMPANIES PAY PARIS TRIBUTE
Online home-rental marketplace Airbnb Inc, which held its annual host convention in Paris a day before the attacks, activated its disaster relief program, enabling people displaced in Paris to stay with certain Airbnb hosts for free.
Online retailer Amazon.com Inc and popular online community Reddit also displayed French flags on their homepages to pay tribute to the victims of the Paris attack.
Telecom companies including Sprint Corp, T-Mobile and Verizon offered free calling and texting service between France and the US, while Google allowed free use of its "Hangout" unified communications service.
In the wake of the deadliest attack on Europe in over a decade that killed at least 129 people and injured many more, millions of people used Facebook's Safety Check tool to tell their friends they were safe.
But many users on the social media platform criticized Facebook for not mobilizing the same safety function during other attacks around the world, especially after suicide bombings in Beirut a day earlier that killed at least 43 people. Facebook's safety check feature was launched in October 2014.
"Until yesterday, our policy was only to activate Safety Check for natural disasters. We just changed this and now plan to activate Safety Check for more human disasters going forward as well."
Advertisement
Facebook has also introduced a new feature letting users apply a French flag filter over their profile photo for a limited time in wake of the Paris attacks.
Advertisement
Online home-rental marketplace Airbnb Inc, which held its annual host convention in Paris a day before the attacks, activated its disaster relief program, enabling people displaced in Paris to stay with certain Airbnb hosts for free.
Advertisement
Telecom companies including Sprint Corp, T-Mobile and Verizon offered free calling and texting service between France and the US, while Google allowed free use of its "Hangout" unified communications service.
© Thomson Reuters 2015
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Chinese Woman's Refusal To Stow Louis Vuitton Bag Causes Major Flight Delay, Goes Viral When Honesty Goes Viral: 7th Grader's Leave Application Breaks The Internet Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky Shares Pic Of 16-Year-Old Website, Says "Nobody Noticed First 2 Launches" "Mamata Banerjee Misleading Public, Should Resign": Nirbhaya's Mother Indian-Origin Family, On Way To Daughter's College, Killed In US Car Crash Air India Cabin Crew Member Assaulted In Her London Hotel Room "We Are India's No 1...": IAS Coaching Centre Fined For "Misleading" Ad NASA Astronaut Shares Pic Of Lightning At Night Over India Taken From Space BJP Leader, 2 Doctors Summoned Over Online Posts On Kolkata Rape-Murder Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.