Google has paused its Android earthquake detection system in Brazil after false alerts of a nonexistent earthquake caused confusion among users in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. This response is part of an investigation into the erroneous notifications sent out in the early hours of Friday. Local authorities stated that no actual seismic activity had been recorded, emphasizing the need for caution with early warning systems.
Google has temporarily disabled its Android-powered earthquake detection feature in Brazil due to a series of false emergency alerts that affected users in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. On Friday morning, many smartphones received warnings of a non-existent 5.5 magnitude earthquake, pinpointing locations such as Ubatuba and Baixada Santista around 2 AM. The incident prompted an investigation by Google to determine the cause of the alerts.
According to a statement from Ed Fernandez, a Google spokesperson, the company launched its earthquake detection network—utilizing accelerometers in Android devices as seismometers—in California in 2020, with subsequent expansions into other regions. The Civil Defense of São Paulo, responsible for disaster risk management, noted that it had not issued any alerts and found no record of an earthquake occurring in the state, contradicting the alerts sent to users.
In summary, Google has suspended its earthquake detection feature in Brazil following a false alarm incident affecting users in major cities. This situation has raised questions regarding the reliability of the system, which has been operational since 2020. Authorities in São Paulo confirmed that no earthquake occurred, highlighting the importance of verifying such alerts before dissemination.
Original Source: www.theverge.com
