TikTok has teamed up with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to broadcast Amber Alerts directly on users’ For You pages. This initiative is currently exclusive to users in the United States, where Amber Alerts are issued to prompt immediate responses in critical child abduction situations. The primary aim is to disseminate crucial information about missing children to a wider audience as swiftly as possible.
Amber Alerts are triggered in urgent cases of child abduction and are integrated into most mobile devices. They are designed to override the device’s normal sounds and vibrations when necessary. The alerts deliver key details such as the child’s name, age, physical description, and, when applicable, information regarding the suspected abductor and their vehicle.
Last year, TikTok piloted this Amber Alert feature from August to December, which garnered over 20 million views and led to 2.5 million visits to the NCMEC website. Now, this feature is expanding its reach to over 170 million Americans, though alerts will only be targeted to users in relevant locales.
“Time is of the essence when a child is reported missing. By utilizing platforms like TikTok, communities can swiftly share essential information to help locate these children. After a successful pilot program in Texas, we are optimistic that this national rollout will empower more communities to raise awareness and bring missing children home as quickly as possible. Every moment matters, and we need to do everything within our power to assist in these situations,” said Colleen Nick, CEO of the Morgan Nick Foundation.
The introduction of Amber Alerts is a significant addition, reflecting TikTok’s commitment to enhancing safety measures for its younger audience. The platform has also rolled out new features to help mitigate late-night scrolling by teenagers, incorporating calming music to disrupt their usage patterns.
Moreover, TikTok has expanded parental controls, giving parents greater oversight of their children’s activity on the app. TikTok isn’t alone in this effort, as other social media platforms, such as Instagram, have also integrated Amber Alerts into their service, demonstrating a collective commitment to child safety.
