Facebook Activates 'Safety Check' Feature After Brussels Attacks

Brussels, Belgium became the latest target for the Islamic State as two bombing events took place Mar. 22.

As a form of help for people who are worried about the safety of their loved ones nad relatives in the area, Facebook activated its "safety check" link shortly after reports of the bombings surfaced.

The social media's safety check feature allows a Facebook member to mark themselves as "safe" after terrorist attacks. This marking is the immediately sent to the member's friends. On the other hand, other Facebook users "can also check on friends in the vicinity of the attacks at the Brussels airport and at a subway station not far from the European Union headquarters," VOA News reports.

The feature was first used during a strong and deadly earthquake that shook Nepal last April.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the Islamic State has claimed responsibility of the two attacks which claimed at least 35 lives and injured more or less 200 others as of 3:00 p.m. GMT.

AMAQ, a news agency affiliated with the group, said: "Islamic State fighters carried out a series of bombings with explosive belts and devices on Tuesday, targeting an airport and a central metro station in the centre of the Belgian capital Brussels."

Meanwhile, at around 3:30 p.m. GMT, the Belgian police also released a photo of a possible suspect. Oliver Milne wrote: 

"Belgian police are appealing for help in identifying a potential suspect, who could have information about the attack on Zaventem airport this morning. The unknown man, seen below dressed in white, is thought to be linked to this morning's bombing which left at least 14 people dead."

"The identity of the two other men is unknown. The photograph was circulating on social media earlier this afternoon before Belgium's federal prosecutor confirmed that the man in white was the subject of police inquiries."

Real Time Analytics