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Facebook Triggers False Bomb Scare In Bangkok by SimpleBea(m): 9:33am On Dec 28, 2016 |
Facebook sparked fear — and anger —
among Thailand’s social media users after
its Safety Check feature triggered a false
bomb alert in Bangkok.
The check-in feature allows users to signal
to friends that they are safe after an event in
their area such as a terror attack or natural
disaster.
But it appeared to misfire late Tuesday,
creating an alert called “The Explosion in
Bangkok” that said a blast in the capital had
been confirmed by “multiple sources”.
The page gave no other details about the
incident but linked to articles about a
bombing in Bangkok in August 2015 which
killed 20 people.
After numerous city residents marked
themselves as safe, the alert was deactivated
around an hour later at 10pm, leaving
netizens relieved but also frustrated over the
false alarm.
“Facebook issued false news that has
destroyed Thailand’s image,” wrote Thai
user Prasit Silhanisong.
“It’s close to the New Year and now tourists
might not come,” he added, calling on the
social media giant to apologise.
Facebook swiftly defended the algorithm,
saying the alert was activated by reports of
small explosives that a protester had thrown
near Government House earlier on Tuesday.
The incident, which caused no injuries or
damage, was covered in the local press.
“Safety Check was activated yesterday in
Thailand following an explosion,” a Facebook
spokesperson said in a statement to AFP,
adding that a “trusted third party” had
confirmed the incident.
It is not the first time the check-in feature
has caused controversy.
In March the company apologised after a
bug sent a Safety Check notification to users
around the world following a deadly suicide
bombing in Pakistan.
The social network also faced criticism in
November 2015 for selectively activating the
feature after attacks in Paris but not in
Beirut.
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