JACKSON, Miss– A missing in child in Mississippi–the state will be on the lookout much faster thanks to Facebook notifications.
When an Amber Alert is issued, Facebook users will get the information immediately.
“When we issue an alert in Mississippi, it will use the locator to notify people in the state on their newsfeed,” says Warren Strain with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
Strain says the Facebook app and the Emergency Alert System notifications will go off when an Amber Alert is issued.
“If you have the alerts set up on your phone, you’ll get both,” says Strain.
Through Facebook, dire information gets to users as soon as the alert is activated.
“Photo of the abductee, and hopefully a photo of the abductor,” says Strain, “and car information.”
Strain says putting the word out fast saves lives.
“If a child is going to be murdered,” Strain says, “seventy-three percent of the time it’s within the first three or four hours.”
