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Facebook Tests 'Safe' User Tag For Disasters

Posted by timothy on from the or-you-could-post-a-comment-on-slashdot dept.

aesoteric writes "Facebook has embarked on a nationwide test of a new disaster message board for users across Japan. The feature allows users to mark themselves as being 'safe' in the event of a disaster. Doing so introduces a 'safe' insignia next to their name on their profile. The Facebook announcement appeared to be geoblocked."

4 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Lame by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Like in the middle of a disaster people are going to start posting to facebook. Oh wait..

    1. Re:Lame by gbjbaanb · · Score: 4, Funny

      except this is a problem - the people actually in the disaster often won't have access to FB, whereas the people nowhere near can happily say they are safe.

      Hey mom, I'm ok, I'm not under attack in Syria.

      (because I'm at home in the UK, with nothing more dangerous than thinking whether to have cheese or ham on my sandwich).

      There again, there's the after-effect problem... actually in a disaster, post "I'm safe" to FB, then look up to see the chunk of falling masonry .... somebody's going to sue FB for sure when that happens!

  2. New Orleans by vlm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lets try to file a bug report using New Orleans as an example in haiku format in honor of this being rolled out first in Japan...

    Hurricane passes overhead
    District Nine clicks Safe
    Levees collapse; all drown; Whoops;

    haiku formatted bug reports are superior to free text, although I'm guessing I shouldn't quit my day job and become a professional poet...

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    1. Re:New Orleans by Ihmhi · · Score: 4, Funny

      Your command of words
      Is much like your sex appeal
      Lacking and awkward.

      --
      Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)