New Missing Child Information Platform Saves 24 Kids
By Bailey Hu
The Ministry of Public Security’s missing child information platform, which helps police and citizens across China coordinate via mobile apps, announced that it has helped recover 24 children since its launch on May 15. The positive news came just in time for this year's Children’s Day.
The platform was developed in partnership with the Alibaba Group, and makes use of navigation maps, as well as Weibo, in order to share information about the latest disappearances. Since its launch, 31 notices have been sent out.
A recent missing child notice about a young boy from Tianjin, on Weibo.
According to personnel at both Alibaba and the Ministry of Public Security, the platform makes searches for missing children much more efficient, as well as transparent. Anyone who has the app is instantly alerted every time a new notice comes out, which makes coordination and information distribution easier.
At a publicity event for the platform, policemen handed out related promotional materials and souvenirs to the public. Four prominent people – Zhao Wei, Yu Junjian, Liu Yuanyuan, and Sha Yi – received awards for helping to spread awareness of the new technology.
The director/actress/singer Zhao Wei posed for a photo with volunteers.
Free water bottles were distributed to event attendees, each one featuring a missing child’s photo and description. Details such as age, sex, and identifying characteristics were included, along with a QR code for the platform and relevant contact information.
The head of the criminal investigation bureau at the Ministry of Public Security, Yang Dong, commented that preventing abduction is everyone’s responsibility and that it requires support from all circles of society. He expressed the wish that in the future more celebrities and icons will come together to promote this worthy cause.
[Photos via Weibo, ChinaNews.com, The Beijing News]
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