Facebook activated its Safety Check feature after terrorist attacks in Brussels killed at least 34 people and injured more than 200 others on Tuesday.
The Safety Check feature allows Facebook users in the vicinity of a dangerous event to alert friends and relatives that they are safe. Safety Check also allows friends to mark the safety status of others.
Introduced in October 2014, the feature has been activated during the April 15 earthquakes in Nepal and the November terrorist attacks in Paris,
according to Adweek’s Social Times blog.
Social media users asked Facebook to activate the Safety Check during the crisis in Brussels, as phone connections were down and communication was difficult,
CNBC reported.
The Paris attacks were the first time Safety Check was used during a terrorist attack. The social media giant has been criticized for not activating it sooner during terrorist attacks and for being selective about which tragedies it activates it for.
Those affected by the Belgium crisis also have turned to Twitter for help. The #OpenHouse hashtag has been used to announce those who are offering shelter and rides,
BuzzFeed News reported.
Alexandre Alaphilippe, a communications manager, told BuzzFeed that he started the hashtag after a similar movement in Paris.
The Safety Check feature drew mixed reviews on Twitter.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.