As the world still reels from the terrorist attacks that hit Paris last week Friday, Facebook has made an effort to better assist users to verify the safety of friends and loved ones in affected areas. The company has now activated its Safety Check feature, originally debuted following the tsunami and nuclear disaster that plagued Japan in 2011, and now being put to use during man-made (terrorist) disasters. 

While hindsight could say this feature should have been implemented far earlier, given the recent spat of terrorist attacks in Paris over the past few years, the system is most welcome as social media is often the quickest method of getting information out in the open. 

According to Facebook, the original parameters of its Safety Check feature were designed around natural disasters, and since its inception it has worked in areas like Afghanistan, Chile and Nepal. The company has, however, decided to change the parameters following the Paris attacks as it saw how events were unfolding on their social media platform. "This activation will change our policy around Safety Check and when we activate it for other serious and tragic incidents in the future," said Alex Schultz, vice president for Growth at Facebook. 

"Safety Check remains a work in progress, but one that has helped many people stay in touch with their friends and family during difficult times," concludes Schultz.