Google’s SOS Alerts are a less annoying version of Facebook’s Safety Check
Google will start putting emergency information about fires, floods, and other disasters in relevant search results and Maps locations. It’s calling the feature “SOS Alerts,” and they’ll include info such as news stories, emergency phone numbers, relevant websites, and updates from local officials.
It appears that the alerts will be created and curated by Google staff, rather than automation. But that also means Google’s teams will have to pick and choose which events get SOS Alerts. At this point, Google is already warning that it’s not going to cover everything. “While we can’t guarantee that you’ll see an SOS Alert for every major crisis, we aim to make them available more broadly over time,” the company’s help page reads.
