Facebook users in Malta to be alerted of abducted children

Facebook users in Malta will start to receive specific alerts on their timelines whenever a child is abducted or is reported missing and is at imminent risk of harm, as part Malta’s implementation of the AMBER Alert system.

The AMBER Alert is an international system, available in five EU member states and 11 other countries, bringing together law enforcement agencies and technical crews to help connect the police with the public when they feel the life of a child could be in danger. 

The AMBER Alert was launched in Malta on 10 January 2017 and is based on cooperation between the home affairs ministry, the Malta Police Force, and non-profit organisation AMBER Alert Europe.

“Facebook’s partnership is a valuable addition to the recently launched AMBER Alert System in Malta, which is an effective way to use the power of our community in a bid to save children’s lives. The earlier the search begins and the bigger the number of people alerted, the better the chance of finding a missing, endangered child,” home affairs minister Carmelo Abela said.

Abela added that being the most popular social networking site in Malta, Facebook’s decision to team up with our Police Force meant that more people will be able to get involved in the search in the eventuality of a missing endangered child.

The partnership between Facebook and the home affairs ministry and the police, was launched on Tuesday.

Other stakeholders that have already teamed up with Malta’s AMBER Alert System include APS Bank, Gozo Channel, Illum, Malta International Airport, Melita plc, Net News, Newsbook, One, PBS, Radju Marija, The Malta Independent, Times of Malta, Transport Malta, and Vodafone Malta.

In the coming weeks, the Police will be issuing a mock AMBER alert to test the system while showing the public how the system works.