Meta has introduced Amber Alerts to Facebook and Instagram in Kenya, dubbed the Kenya Emergency Child Alert (KECA).
The Alert was launched in partnership with the DCI-Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) and Missing Child Kenya. The move is aimed at helping find missing children by increasing the number of people on the lookout.
The launch makes Kenya the fourth country in Africa to join the Facebook Amber Alerts program after South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco.
With this update, if an Amber Alert is activated by law enforcement, Facebook and Instagram users in that particular area will receive it on their feed. The alert will include vital details about the child such as a photo, description, location of the abduction and any other available information that can be provided. People can also share the alert with friends to further spread the word and reach more people.
Furthermore, the Amber Alerts are unique and specific to the search area. If a user receives one or sees one on their feed, it means there is an active search for a missing child nearby. To reach the intended users, Meta will use variety of signals, including the city you list on your profile, your IP address and location services (if you have it turned on).
Since Meta launched AMBER Alerts in 2015, they have assisted in hundreds of successful child endangerment cases in the US and around the world. AMBER Alerts have become an important way to support our communities in keeping children safe and we hope to continue this work, thanks to this partnership.