Whenever something bad happens, the first thing many people do is try to contact someone they know that could potentially be involved in said incident. In order to make it easier for a person to notify their family and friends that they are safe, Google has rolled out a new app called Trusted Contacts.
Trusted Contacts works by having the user assign “trusted” status to the individual’s closest family and friends. Those that are deemed “trusted” would then be able to see the user’s activity states, such as where they were at recently or if they’re online at the moment.
In the event of an emergency, the user can opt to share their current location through the app. The user’s trusted contacts can also request to see your location, in which case the user can opt to deny or accept the request, showing that they are safe. In the event that you’re unable to respond to the request within a reasonable timeframe, the app would automatically share your position, allowing the contacts to “determine the best way to help you out”. In the event that the phone is rendered offline, Trusted Contacts will provide the contacts with the user’s last known location.
Requesting your current location isn’t the only thing that Trusted Contacts can do as users can opt to proactively share their current location, allowing their friends or family to monitor them. Once the user arrives at his destination, he can stop broadcasting his location details by hitting the banner at the top of the screen or from the lockscreen.
Trusted Contacts is now available for Android devices. The app will also be made available for iOS devices soon.
