Google has disabled its Android earthquake detection function in Brazil after many smartphone customers in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro obtained false emergency alerts on Friday morning, Android Police stories. The alerts of a nonexistent 5.5 magnitude earthquake have been despatched to units round 2AM this morning, and pinpointed earthquakes within the nation’s Ubatuba and Baixada Santista areas.
According to CNN Brasil, the Civil Protection of São Paulo, which manages an early warning system for catastrophe threat, mentioned it “didn’t difficulty any alert and that there isn’t a document of any incidence associated to the potential earthquake within the state.”
In an e mail to The Verge, Google spokesperson Ed Fernandez writes:
The Android Earthquake Alerts System is a supplemental service that makes use of Android telephones to shortly estimate earthquake shaking and supply early warnings to customers. It’s not designed to interchange any official or different public warning methods. On February 14th, our system detected alerts from units close to the coast of São Paulo and triggered an earthquake alert to customers within the area. We promptly disabled the alerting system in Brazil and are at present investigating what occurred. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and stay dedicated to bettering our instruments.