Facebook turns on Safety Check facility for Manchester to confirm safety

Social media can play a vital role in emergency situations.

There are of course people who abuse the likes of Twitter, Facebook, etc, by spreading lies, hatred and misinformation, but it can also be a vital way of keeping in touch with loved ones in times of panic and confusion. The Safety Check feature on Facebook has proved invaluable in recent years, allowing people on the social medium to inform friends and family that they are safe and sound, as well as calming the nerves of those concerned. The feature is only activated if enough people in an affected area post about a particular incident, and that was certainly the case on Monday night when the city of Manchester suffered a fatal tragedy at Manchester Arena. The check was activated in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and allowed people to communicate their safety amidst disturbing reports of serious injury and even tragic fatality. At the time of writing, 5o people are confirmed injured and 19 have sadly died. If you are concerned about the safety of anyone in the Manchester area, here is how the facility works: