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FACEBOOK WILL DISTRIBUTE alerts on the newsfeeds of Irish users when a child has been abducted and gardaí believe they at serious risk, it was announced today.
Child Rescue Ireland Alerts have been used by An Garda Síochána since 2012 to get information to members of the public when they have concern about a child.
They have only been used six times since their introduction.
In the past, the organisation has used traditional media to get the message out and in recent years they have also used online platforms like their own Twitter and Facebook profiles.
This morning a new CRI Alert partnership between An Garda Síochána and Facebook was launched. The organisation said the expansion of the programme will give people “an instant way to share important information about the missing child and suspected abductor such as a photo, hair colour and clothes, with their friends and family and community group”.
There are a number of criteria a case must meet before an alert is sent.
A senior garda member will assess whether these criteria have been met.
Under this new partnership, An Garda Síochána will now notify Facebook’s global security operations centre, which operates 24/7 that a verified CRI Alert is active.
Facebook will then sent the alert to the newsfeeds of all 2.8 million people in Ireland who have profiles as quickly as possible.
Facebook’s trust and safety manager Emily Vacher said the Facebook alert will include a picture of the child and any information the public would need to help find them, like a description of a vehicle connected to their abduction.
“People will also be able to share the CRI Alert with their Facebook friends in hopes of extending the reach even further.”
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Good idea. Hopefully serves as a deterrent too
If this is set up correctly, it could be a very good tool.
Productive use of the site
Not on the facedybook…surely partnering with all social media feeds would be best… and majority of young people dont use facebook…even parents…who use insta and snapchat, whats app, twitter…
Seems like a good idea and a missed opportunity.
I just hope the Journal keeps publishing the blurriest out of focus picture they can get their hands on…
@Eugene Tyson: Valid point that it should spread to other social media feeds but Facebook has the large share of the Irish market overall, estimated at 78% of adults alone use facebook. A report in 2013 showed that 85% of children age 9 – 12 use Facebook.
It’s not perfect but it’s a good start.
@B9xiRspG: 65% of adults aged 15+ have a Facebook account. 45% of these use it daily, but this is decreasing rapidly.
Over 600 thousand adults aged 15+ in the Republic of Ireland use Instagram on a daily basis.
61% of adults aged 15+ have a WhatsApp account.
1.4 million adults aged 15+ in the Republic of Ireland use WhatsApp on a daily basis.
57% of adults aged 15+ have a FB Messenger account.
Snapchat account holders are most likely to be daily active users. 66% open the app daily.
[source: http://shaneoleary.me/blog/index.php/irish-digital-marketing-and-social-media-stats-2018/
@Eugene Tyson: great information!
Fair play to FB
when was the last child abduction in Ireland? not including parents.
@Marie Broomfield: isnt that just as important ?
@Marie Broomfield: lots of children go missing from state care. Vulnerable kids taken by gangs to use them to make money. Makes your blood run cold.
@Deborah Behan: missing but not abducted.This is specifically for abducted children.
@Louise Ní Riain: important but not the same!
@Rosemarie F Martin: post a link. i never heard of it
Great idea. Could it be used to help adults too?
Brilliant
Well done all at Facebook great idea
They should do it for every country. I live in France and have never seen one.
Great idea and about tune hats off to Facebook , now all we need is a site which shows locations of convicted paedophiles for our children’s safety, if u reply about human rights don’t bother they’re no longer human after their crimes to me!
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