DENVER (KDVR)— Many Coloradans saw this morning’s Amber Alert not just as an alert on their phones, but inside TikTok’s “For You” feed — part of a new effort to put urgent missing-child information where millions already scroll.
TikTok announced a partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children earlier this year. The program uses approximate location data to deliver Amber Alerts directly in-app, including as full-screen notifications.
Tuesday’s alert displayed photos of a 16-year-old missing girl, a 19-year-old suspect and a description of the truck investigators believed they were in.
Communication experts say the approach could help cut through noise in an era of alert fatigue.
“I think it’s a really innovative approach, meeting these users where they are,” said Samuel M. Jay, Ph.D., a communication professor at MSU Denver. “Adding this channel to the communication repertoire and public alerts is a really fantastic way.”
Jay said visuals matter on social platforms: “Adding any kind of graphics, images — making the message itself more engaging — never hurts.”
Child-safety groups also see potential.
“The easier we can make any sort of tool for people, the better,” said Hollie Reinhart with the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center. “Will it solve every case? No, but if it helps one case, that’s significant — that’s a child.”
TikTok’s in-feed alerts are designed to reach younger users who might overlook traditional emergency texts. The alerts include photos, vehicle details and other identifying information, and they can be shared quickly across the platform.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation said any resource that supports the mission of bringing children home safely is appreciated.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
