Google has temporarily disabled its Android earthquake detection feature in Brazil after a false alarm sent thousands of emergency alerts to users in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro early Friday morning.
Around 2 AM, many residents received notifications about a nonexistent 5.5 magnitude earthquake, supposedly affecting areas like Ubatuba and Baixada Santista. However, the Civil Defense of São Paulo clarified that they did not issue any alerts and confirmed there was no earthquake activity in the region. ❌
In a statement to The Verge, Google spokesperson Ed Fernandez explained that their Android Earthquake Alerts System is intended as a supplemental service, not a replacement for official warning systems. He added that the alerts were triggered by signals detected near the coast and that the company is currently investigating the incident. Google has apologized for the confusion and is committed to enhancing its tools.
