Facebook apologizes for major Pakistan bombing safety check fail
Many Facebook users living nowhere near Pakistan were issued with the ‘safety check’ feature about a ‘nearby’ explosion intended solely for people affected by Sunday’s massive suicide bomb in Lahore.
Facebook apologized for the software glitch, telling Tech Insider:
"We activated Safety Check today [Sunday] in Lahore, Pakistan, after a bombing that took place there. Unfortunately, many people not affected by the crisis received a notification asking if they were okay. We worked to resolve the issue and we apologize to anyone who mistakenly received the notification".
READ MORE: 'Targets were Christians’: Taliban faction claims Pakistan park attack that killed over 60
Social media users from all over the world ironically took to Twitter to ‘poke’ fun at Facebook for asking if they were ‘safe’.
All clear here in NY. Thanks, FB. pic.twitter.com/UhMAyU9qN7
— Matthew Witheiler (@witheiler) March 27, 2016
Did any one else get this notification this morning? Confused how Facebook thought I was in Pakistan pic.twitter.com/rMxoU5jLbt
— Garrett (@JoblessGarrett) March 28, 2016
Thanks for the concern Facebook but Wrexham and Pakistan really aren't in the same area pic.twitter.com/VADIH4gudB
— cam (@camvallen) March 27, 2016
There are better ways to ask a guy currently in Montana why he hasn't logged in to Facebook for a long time. pic.twitter.com/sRpaQflWrt
— Chris Sacca (@sacca) March 27, 2016
Facebook thought I was near an explosion in Pakistan. I'm in New Jersey. pic.twitter.com/KeOYPR8c8z
— Dan Graziano (@DanGraziano) March 27, 2016
Some mentioned that the text alluding to a nearby explosion without specifying a Pakistan location had led to some alarm:
Facebook's errant "explosion" texts, which don't even specify "Pakistan," are even worse than the app/browser issue. pic.twitter.com/175rCOaIVM
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 27, 2016
this really freaked me out until I realized that Facebook thought I was in Pakistan pic.twitter.com/3w6iHCsIaC
— Rachel Zarrell (@rachelzarrell) March 27, 2016
READ MORE:Tears for Brussels but not Pakistan: How celebs and politicians (didn’t) react to Lahore attack
