Google Just Launched An App To Keep You Safe By Using Real-Time Updates

It is always a difficult thing to alert loved ones of your status in an emergency and that’s why Google is introducing something called Trusted Contacts which launches on Android today and iOS later.

So here’s the idea;

Once you have installed the app, you add specific people in your phone contact list to your “trusted contacts” and one would assume that these would be close friends, and family members whom you know will go all out for you should you be in some kind of trouble or emergency at any time. Each time any of these people open the app on their device, they’ll be able to see your status and if it’s active for example, it means you’re in motion and connected to the internet or maybe cell tower. It even tells them whether you have a low battery and for how long you’ve been active (something like “last seen” in WhatsApp).

Besides the automatic alert, you can choose to share a status to your trusted contacts at any time. So you see how sometimes in movies how someone on a dangerous mission gives near minute by minute updates on their status, you can choose to do the same with the Trusted Contacts app from Google.

So if all of a sudden you drop moving, they get to see that and probably raise alarm. Once you think you have arrived your destination safely, you can share that with them and ask them not to worry about you anymore.

While this is not a 100 percent guaranteed to keep you safe, it can at least let someone know where you are and how you’re doing real-time as opposed to having to call them each step of the way.

Facebook’s Safety feature is usually activated in areas where there’s been an attack or a disaster. Users in those places can check in to alert their friends on Facebook that they are ok.  Trusted Contact though is a standalone safety app that you can use at any time.