On January 12, 2011, AMBER Alert, the most effective tool to save abducted children, teamed up with Facebook, the most successful social network in history, to save abducted children.
AMBER Alert suddenly has lots of new friends. Facebook has begun posting AMBER Alerts that more than 750 million users worldwide—more than 130 million of them in the U.S.—can view.
Facebook worked with the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to create a main AMBER Alert page and 53 additional pages for the 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
"AMBER Alerts depend on partnerships between public and private entities to get the word out when a child goes missing," said Laurie O. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs and National AMBER Alert Coordinator. "Social networking has few boundaries, and now AMBER Alerts will benefit from that nearly limitless reach."
NCMEC posts the initial alerts, updates, and cancellations for each geographical area. Facebook users can sign up to receive the alerts in their area by simply becoming a friend. Those friends can then post the alerts and send them to others.
"We know time is the enemy in the search for abducted children, and people on Facebook will allow the alerts to become viral, not just in local jurisdictions, but across the country and around the world," said Ernie Allen, NCMEC President and CEO. "It is free, and it is going to save lives."
The AMBER Alert sites do not contain any advertising, and Facebook users cannot post comments on the state pages. This plan will ensure that the only information about the AMBER Alert will come from the law enforcement agency that issued the alert. Once the alert is canceled, Facebook removes the post from all sites so users will not search for a child who has already been found.
Facebook also donated more than 25 million advertising impressions to promote the AMBER Alert pages. Just 5 months after the launch, the main AMBER Alert page has over 60,000 friends and nearly 500,000 people view the site each week. The vast majority of the people using the site are from the United States, but it has attracted friends from 18 other countries as far away as India, Turkey, and Malaysia.
"Facebook is more than a social network, it is one of the largest communication platforms," said Chris Sonderby, Facebook Lead Security and Investigations Counsel. "The more people who participate, the better. It is a small step that can make a big difference in the life of a child."
The main page has a link to each of the state pages and has become a community bulletin board for the AMBER Alert Program and efforts to find abducted children. Within minutes after a new post goes up on the main AMBER Alert page, tens of thousands of people can view the site and post comments. Here is a sampling of some of the comments made shortly after the launch:
"It will be amazing what Facebook can do for AMBER Alert. It is national and fast and gives more info than just people and vehicles. We will be asking 'Why did we take so long?'"
"It is the best example of how the Internet can be a useful tool."
"This is right on time. AMERICA unite; find these missing children!!!"
"My heart breaks and my stomach gets knots every time I hear an AMBER Alert. However, when a child is located and saved, the joy is AMAZING! What a great tool to help protect our children and unite us in the fight."
"I cannot wait to start hearing the success stories of children being found through Facebook!"
Col. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent, spoke at the Facebook/AMBER Alert launch on how his state has already used the social network to find an abducted child. On December 6, 2010, the Roanoke (Virginia) Police Department issued an AMBER Alert for a 12-year-old girl who had been abducted after her mother was murdered. The alert was posted on the Virginia State Police Facebook page, and the story picked up national attention. Five days later, a woman recognized the victim from a television story, and the girl was recovered safely in San Francisco.
"We would have not had as many leads without our Facebook fans," said Flaherty. "Social media enabled law enforcement to reach beyond our borders to find this 12-year-old girl. Her search started with an AMBER Alert and spread because of social media and traditional media. I can only imagine or dream what we can do now."
On January 15, Facebook posted its first AMBER Alert for a 13-year-old Columbus, Missouri, girl. More than 63,000 people viewed the original post, and the girl was found the following day in Jasper, Alabama.
Julie Fisher believes Facebook has the potential to save many children. The Massachusetts mother regularly posts updates on AMBER Alerts across the country. She also encourages others to sign up for the alerts in their own states.
"I just want this to be a safer world for everyone, especially children," said Fisher. "Facebook is a great way to spread the alerts because even if you are not in the area of the alert, a friend, or a friend of a friend may cross their path. What better use of networking is there? Someone may be in the right place at the right time and save a life."
What's on the National AMBER Alert Facebook page:
- Links to state AMBER pages
- Current AMBER Alert news
- AMBER Advocate Editions
- Hundreds of millions of potential people who can help find a missing child
What's on the State AMBER Alert Facebook pages:
- Current active AMBER Alerts automatically issued by NCMEC
- A local network of concerned citizens eager to help in the recovery of a child