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What you need to know
Google’s Android earthquake alert system inadvertently triggered notifications throughout Brazil last week, leading to confusion and prompting the company to suspend the feature temporarily. Residents in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro received alerts about a 5.5 magnitude earthquake that ultimately did not occur. The tech giant attributed this error to offshore activities near São Paulo that misled the system and issued an apology for the incident.
In a surprising turn of events, Google’s Android earthquake alert feature caused an unnecessary stir across Brazil due to a glitch. The company has since decided to pause the service to address the underlying issues.
A report from CNN Brasil revealed that the Android earthquake alerts were deactivated following a false alarm that startled the population. On Friday morning, around 2 AM, residents were abruptly awakened by notifications of a non-existent earthquake, with Ubatuba and Baixada Santista incorrectly identified as the epicenters of the supposed quake.
Officials from São Paulo’s Civil Defense confirmed the absence of any seismic activity, clarifying that they had not issued any alerts, which highlighted the erroneous nature of the Android notifications.
Taking responsibility for the error, Google explained that the alerts were triggered due to misinterpretations of nearby offshore activities. The company has expressed regret over the false alarm and the resultant panic.
The Android Earthquake Alerts System, which debuted in the United States in 2020, functions by utilizing data sourced from numerous Android devices. The system leverages built-in motion sensors of smartphones to detect the first, less intense tremors (known as P-waves) that precede the more intense shaking (S-waves). This innovation is intended to provide a crucial few seconds of warning before stronger tremors are felt.
This technology effectively transforms smartphones into small seismometers. Since its introduction over four years ago, the system has expanded its reach to other regions, including Greece and New Zealand.
This incident marks the first notable false alarm for the system since its launch. Notably, while there were alleged missed alerts during the earthquake in Turkey in 2023, Google maintains that the technology functioned properly at that time.
Although Google has not disclosed the precise reasons for the latest malfunction, the company is actively investigating and has decided to keep the alert system off in Brazil until the issue is resolved.
Source
www.androidcentral.com