NUgenpros, LLC

Social media has allowed us to become closer to our loved ones no matter where in the world they may be. But what happens when there is a natural disaster and we can't connect to to our loved ones? We all know the stories about not being able to get through on the phone due to congested lines, etc. Facebook is looking to help bridge that gap by launching it's own 'Safety Check'. Read on for more details.

~The NUgenpros Team

Facebook Launches 'Safety Check' Tool For Natural Disasters

Posted: 10/16/2014 8:50 am EDT Updated: 10/17/2014 8:59 am EDT

Residents go on their daily business amidst flooding brought about by monsoon rains that was induced by Typhoon Halong Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014 at Hermosa township, Bataan province in northwestern Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) | ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook Inc. is launching a tool that lets users notify friends and family that they are safe during or after natural disasters.

The tool, called "Safety Check," will be available worldwide to the social network's 1.32 billion users on computers and mobile devices. This includes the basic "feature" phones many people still use to access Facebook, especially in developing countries.

People already use Facebook to tell people they are OK after earthquakes and other disasters but Facebook says the Safety Check tool will make it easier. It grew out of a disaster message board that Facebook engineers created in 2011 following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Once users activate the tool, it will determine their location using the city they have listed in their profile, the last location they've shared or the city where they are using the Internet. If they are in an area affected by a natural disaster, Safety Check will send them a notification asking if they're safe.

If they say yes, their Facebook friends will be notified. There's no option to say no. Users can also mark their friends as safe, but the friends have to approve it.