Google SOS Alerts Come to Maps and Search, Provide Information in Time of Crisis

Advertisement
By Shekhar Thakran | Updated: 26 July 2017 10:49 IST
Highlights
  • Google Maps will show tappable cards with relevant info about crisis
  • Google Search results will show alerts depending on query and location
  • These alerts show up for both natural and human-caused disasters
Google SOS Alerts Come to Maps and Search, Provide Information in Time of Crisis

Google on Tuesday introduced SOS Alerts feature to its services including Google Search, Google News, and Google Maps, to inform people in a situation of crisis. This new feature will essentially provide relevant information about natural or human-caused (attacks) disasters to people who are either in the affected area or looking for more details about the situation.

Depending on the search query and your proximity to the area affected from a particular disaster, you will see an SOS Alert from Google at the top of search results. "You'll see maps, top stories and-when available-authoritative local information such as emergency phone numbers, websites, and translations of useful phrases," Google said in its blog post.

The search giant says that depending on how close you are to the affected area, you might also get a notification on your mobile device that will direct you to this information. If you are farther away from the affected area, the search queries about the relevant location will produce an SOS alert that will provide an overview of the situation. Further, Google will also present the donation opportunities to the users with these alerts.

During these crisis situations, users will see SOS Alerts inside Google Maps with an icon and a tappable card that provides information on help numbers and websites. As you might expect, Google Maps will also present real-time updates regarding road closures and traffic.

Advertisement

For its crisis response products, Google says that it has worked closely with organisations including the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency among others.

Notably, the company says that the SOS alerts will be available in languages of the affected area as well as English. While Google says that it cannot guarantee that you will be able to see SOS Alerts for every major crisis as of now, it does plan to make them available more broadly over time. Google CEO Sundar Pichai also introduced the feature in a tweet on Tuesday, saying "In times of crisis, access to timely, actionable info is crucial so we are launching SOS alerts in Search & Maps."

Advertisement

We live in a world where information can easily be the difference between life and death. Google's latest effort towards providing relevant information about the crisis situations can be termed as a commendable effort and should prove to be of help for a large section of people. This feature might remind some people of Facebook's Safety Check Feature but clearly seems to be aimed at providing more value.

 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Motorola Razr 60 Ultra Review: Flip Phone Perfection?
  2. Vivo T4R 5G to Launch Soon in India; Design Teased
  3. iQOO Z10R With 32-Megapixel Selfie Camera to Launch in India on This Date
  4. HMD T21 Tablet With 10.36-Inch 2K Display Launched in India: Check Price
  5. Realme 15 Pro 5G to Get 50-Megapixel Sony IMX896 Main Rear Camera
  6. iPhone 16 Available in India at Rs 69,999 in Flipkart's GOAT Sale 2025
  7. Samsung Galaxy F36 5G India Launch Date Announced; Design Shown
  1. Samsung Developing New Technologies to Bring Back S-Pen in Future Galaxy Z Fold Models: Report
  2. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Coming to Apple Silicon-Powered Mac on July 17
  3. Axiom Space’s Ax-4 Crew Returns from ISS Aboard SpaceX Dragon Grace After Record Research Mission
  4. Crystalline Ice Discovered in Space: New Study Reveals Hidden Order in Cosmic Ice
  5. NASA Deploys High-Tech Aircraft to Support Texas Flood Relief and Recovery Efforts
  6. Massive Boulders Ejected by DART Mission Could Complicate Future Asteroid Deflection
  7. The Map That Leads to You OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch it Online?
  8. Anuraga Karikkim Vellam Streaming Now on SunNXT: Everything To Know About Cast, Plot, and More
  9. CyberPowerPC India Announces Launch of Esports Masterclass Series in Navi Mumbai
  10. iPhone 16 Available at Rs 69,999 in Flipkart's GOAT Sale 2025; Price Discounted on Amazon as Well
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.