Euro 2016: France Launches Terror Alert App
France has released a mobile phone app to alert the public in the event of a terrorist attack ahead of the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, which starts on June 10.
The app will alert geo-located users “in case of a suspected attack”, the French interior ministry said in a statement.
The government said the app was developed after November’s attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people.
Users will be able to sign up to receive alerts in up to eight different “geographical zones” in addition to their present location.
Alerts will offer a brief description of what has happened as well as advice on how to stay safe.
They will not cause the phone to vibrate or emit any sound in order to ensure that anyone hiding at the site of an attack does not alert the attackers, Metro News reported.
The government has stressed that users’ privacy will be protected.
Later versions of the app will also alert users to other types of emergencies beyond attacks, including floods and industrial accidents, officials said.
The app is available to download for phones running both iOS and Android operating systems.