Instagram is adding a new AMBER Alerts feature to deliver important missing person information to the app and share timely critical updates to help combat child abductions and related situations.
As you can see in this example, the new AMBER alerts, which will be targeted by location, will notify users that there is an active search for a missing child nearby.
Alerts will contain details about the child, including a photo, description, location of the abduction and any other available information that can be provided. Users can then respond to an alert if they have any information, while sharing the alert with friends to help spread the word.
According to Instagram:
“We know that the chances of finding a missing child increase when more people are on the lookout, especially in the first few hours. With this update, if an AMBER Alert is activated by law enforcement and you are in the designated search area, the alert will now appear in your Instagram feed.
The option uses Instagram’s scale and popularity to maximize the reach of these alerts, broadening awareness, which will ideally help ensure more people are on the lookout and more information is shared with the competent authorities.
Instagram developed the new feature in partnership with various regional authorities, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom, the Attorney General’s Office in Mexico , Australian Federal Police and more.
Meta implemented a similar AMBER Alerts process on Facebook in 2015, and it has since led to the sharing of valuable information, helping to find missing children in a variety of situations.
This is an important and valuable update, as anything that can be done to raise awareness of such situations can help bring the kids home, with more prompts the better.
AMBER Alerts on Instagram will begin rolling out today and will be fully available within the next few weeks in 25 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Jamaica, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg. , Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and United States.
Instagram says it is also working to expand and bring them to more countries in the future.
