The answer to terrorism isn't to introduce a new facebook feature to notify friends that you are safe. The answer is to ensure such a feature is unnecessary.

Facebook have introduced a new feature to inform
loved ones you are safe after a terrorist attack.

After the horrific terrorist attack in Stockholm, I logged into my facebook account and saw that facebook have introduced a new feature¹ which notifies you when friends have confirmed that they are safe after a terrorist attack. I've spent a lot of time traveling the world, and during my travels I've met quite a few Swedish friends, so it was reassuring to be able to confirm so quickly that they were safe.

My initial reaction therefore was that this was a useful new feature which was helpful for putting concerned friends' minds at ease.

However, it then quickly dawned on me how sickening it is that we actually need a feature like this. Terrorist attacks have now reached a point of being so frequent that facebook now includes a feature to notify your loved ones that you're safe after a terrorist attack. That is how bad the world is becoming.

Terrorist attacks are becoming the norm. This is not okay. The answer isn't to introduce a feature on facebook so that people can let their friends and families know they are safe after a terrorist attack. The answer is to ensure that such a feature is not necessary.

After every terrorist attack, politicians make a lot of speeches about 'not giving in to terrorism', and 'carrying on as normal'. But isn't the definition of insanity, 'to do the same thing over and over and expect different results'? If we carry on as normal without making any changes to tackle terrorism, then nothing will change. We'll switch on the news next week to discover there's been another terrorist attack. And the politicians will make the same noises about 'carrying on as normal' and 'not letting the terrorists win'.

Governments need to start making tough decisions.

Once again, the answer to terrorism isn't to introduce a new feature on facebook so you can notify friends that you're safe after a terrorist attack. The answer is to ensure that in future such a feature is not necessary.

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Source:
1 The feature was originally introduced in October 2014 for natural disasters, and was expanded over time to other emergencies, which now includes terrorist attacks.
https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10101699265809491