Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Monday, Apr 06, 2026

Facebook rolls out tools to help you find real-time info in a crisis

Facebook users who request or offer help during a crisis can now message via WhatsApp.

Facebook said Monday that it's giving users more ways to communicate and share real-time information during a disaster or attack.

The world's social network has a hub called Crisis Response that lets users learn about critical events happening around the world, as well as request or offer help during a fire, mass shooting, earthquake or other crisis. You can also check whether your friends or family members have marked themselves as safe during a disaster.

Users requesting or offering help can now message each other through WhatsApp . Before, they had to use Facebook Messenger. Users will also be able to share photos and videos along with real-time information such as road closures and collapsed buildings on crisis response pages.

"We heard loud and clear from people that what they really needed was more information during times of crisis," said Emily Dalton Smith, director of social impact product at Facebook. "What they wanted was to be able to know everything that was relevant so that they can navigate through this tough time."

As Facebook offers users more ways to share and communicate during a crisis, the company will also have be wary about people who could use the tools to spread misinformation, scams and hate speech. In April, an Islamophobic post was the top video on a Facebook crisis response page for bombings in Sri Lanka that killed nearly 300 people. In 2017, following a mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas, a page that was part of the company's crisis response hub showed hoaxes and scams.

Smith said users can report posts. The company also uses technology along with human reviewers to flag content that goes against Facebook's rules. "Safety and security are top of mind for us," she said.

Facebook is also providing data to help emergency responders distribute supplies to those in need and find people who have been displaced from their homes. The company works with more than 100 partners across disaster response and public health.

Laura McGorman, policy lead for data for good at Facebook, said that the company can use aggregate location data of Facebook users to see how many people move from one area to another. Before, first responders had to rely on people at the scene to figure out if those in need were at shelters or hospitals.

"By aggregating information from Facebook mobile users who've opted into location services, you can actually see whether or not evacuation orders have been followed. And that's extremely powerful," she said.

Facebook has also been trying to improve its estimates of how many people have been displaced from their homes, which can be tricky because people can move for various reasons. Now they're accounting for other factors such as commuting and tourism in their displacement maps.

"We want to make sure we're really focusing on people who are truly displaced, and our new maps do that," McGorman said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Iranian Drone Strike on US Embassy in Saudi Arabia Reportedly Targeted Intelligence Facility
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Meets French Embassy Official to Strengthen Bilateral Engagement
Saudi Arabia Calls on United States to Seize Strategic Opportunity to Reshape Middle East
Dating Apps Surge in Saudi Arabia as Social Norms Rapidly Evolve Among Youth
Saudi Arabia Detains Over Fourteen Thousand Illegal Residents in Week-Long Enforcement Drive
Saudi Foreign Minister Engages in Diplomatic Talks with Pakistan, Kuwait and Latvia on Regional Developments
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Cruise Missile as Regional Tensions Intensify
Saudi Stock Market Edges Higher as Tadawul Index Records Modest Gain
Underlying Rivalry Between Saudi Arabia and UAE Persists Despite Temporary Calm
Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Sector Contracts in March as Regional Tensions Weigh on Business Activity
Saudi Arabia Unveils Ambition to Establish Prestigious Global Prize Rivaling the Nobel
Saudi Crown Prince to Engage Wall Street in Push for Investment and Economic Expansion
Iran Accuses Saudi Arabia and UAE After Downing of Chinese-Made Drone
Saudi Arabia Condemns Attack on Hospital in Sudan, Calls for Protection of Civilians
Coordinated Drone Strike Targets CIA Facility Within US Embassy in Saudi Arabia
Italy’s Meloni Prioritises Energy Security and Strait of Hormuz Stability During Gulf Tour
Uncertainty Emerges Over Timeline and Direction of Saudi Arabia’s Ambitious Ski Resort Project
UAE and Saudi Arabia Escalate Strategy with Drone Operations Targeting Iran
Trump Delivers Characteristic Remarks on Saudi Crown Prince Amid Intensifying Iran Conflict
Drone Strike on US Embassy in Riyadh Caused Greater Damage Than First Reported
Saudi Arabia Introduces Flexible Solutions for Expired Visas Amid Regional Disruptions
Saudi Arabia’s Online Car Market Accelerates with AI Pricing and Fully Digital Buying Experience
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Defence Strategy as Iranian Drone Threat Drives Shift in Military Partnerships
Drone Strikes Target Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Japan and Saudi Arabia Align Efforts to Ease Rising Tensions with Iran
Saudi Crown Prince and Italy’s Meloni Strengthen Strategic Ties in High-Level Talks
SpaceX Explores Potential Five Billion Dollar Investment from Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund Ahead of IPO
Saudi Arabia Lifts Key Import Barriers to Expand Access for U.S. Beef Exports
Saudi Arabia Enforces Strict Travel Penalties for Visits to Restricted Countries
Italy’s Meloni Embarks on Strategic Gulf Tour to Address Energy Security and Regional Stability
Saudi Film Festival Rescheduled to Summer as Regional Tensions Continue
Saudi Arabia Reports Forty Two Point Six Billion Dollars in Foreign Tourist Spending in 2025
Saudi Crown Prince and Russian President Hold Strategic Call on Escalating Regional Crisis
Saudi Arabia Advances Rail Network as Strategic Alternative to Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Ruanyun Edai Launches Saudi Arabia Hub With Forecast of Ten Percent Revenue Growth
Greek Defence Minister Visits Troops in Saudi Arabia Following Successful Missile Interception
Saudi Arabia Expands Global Strategy With Focus on African Critical Minerals
SpaceX Explores Potential Five Billion Dollar Investment From Saudi Fund Ahead of Possible IPO
US Central Command Dismisses Iranian Claim of Mass Casualties Among American Personnel in Saudi Arabia
Co-Diagnostics to Establish Molecular Diagnostics Facility in Saudi Arabia Through Joint Venture
Trump Engages Saudi Crown Prince in Talks on Potential Iran Ceasefire
Saudi Arabia’s Sadara Suspends Operations as Supply Chain Disruptions Intensify
Saudi Arabia Accelerates Energy Shift by Trading Oil Revenues for Battery Investments
Saudi Arabia Introduces Flexible Options for Expired Visas Amid Regional Disruptions
Online Narratives Surge as Iran–US Tensions Spill Into Digital Arena Following Trump Remarks
Saudi Arabia Urges Trump to Seize Strategic Moment as UAE Weighs Ground Deployment
Saudi Arabia Redirects Nearly One Million Barrels of Oil Daily Away from Strait of Hormuz
Saudi Arabia Carries Out Execution of Businessman Linked to 2011 Qatif Unrest
Ukraine–Saudi Defense Pact Signals Rising Demand for Battlefield Expertise
Saudi Arabia Balances Diplomacy and Defense Preparedness Amid Iran Conflict
×