Google Turns 2 Billion Smartphones Into Global Earthquake Warning System - 1

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Google Turns 2 Billion Smartphones Into Global Earthquake Warning System

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A new study reports that Google’s system converted 2 billion smartphones into an earthquake early-warning network which functions equally well as traditional seismometers.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Google uses over 2 billion smartphones for earthquake early warnings.
  • Android Earthquake Alerts detected 11,000+ quakes from 2021 to 2024.
  • Google’s alerts complement official systems but sometimes underestimate large quakes.

The Android Earthquake Alerts system operated by Google detected 11,000 earthquakes through phone accelerometer data between 2021 and 2024 and delivered 1,200 alerts to users across 98 nations.

LiveScience argues that the innovation has expanded earthquake warning distribution to reach 2.5 billion people instead of the previous 250 million users in 2019.

“Earthquakes are a constant threat to communities around the globe,” Google representatives said . “What if we could give people a few precious seconds of warning before the shaking starts? Those seconds can be enough time to get off a ladder, move away from dangerous objects and take cover.”

Traditional earthquake alert systems work via expensive seismic stations, which provide coverage to limited regions of earthquake-prone countries. The AEA system of Google operates instead through Android smartphone and smartwatch motion sensors, which are in-built to these devices.

These sensors detect fast-moving P-waves, which typically precede destructive shaking, and which determine earthquake size and location.

Operating in countries including Greece, Turkey, the U.S., Japan, and Indonesia, AEA had sent 1,279 alerts as of March 2024, as reported by LiveScience. User feedback showed 85% of people experiencing quakes got alerts, with 36% receiving warnings before shaking began.

Only three alerts were false, triggered by thunderstorms or unrelated events. However, the system is not free of error, and was found to underestimate the size of some large earthquakes.

In one of the most serious incidents, Google’s AEA system failed to alert around 10 million people during the deadly 2023 earthquake in Turkey. Only 469 phones received the high-priority “Take Action” alert, despite Android devices being used by over 70% of Turkey’s population. The system initially underestimated the tremor’s strength, predicting magnitudes of 4.5 and 4.9, when in fact the quake measured 7.8. This mistake deprived many of a potentially life-saving 35-second warning.

Google acknowledged the failure, reaffirming the AEA system’s supplementary role alongside national alert networks.

Google emphasizes that AEA is designed to supplement, not replace, official warning systems. “AEA demonstrates that globally distributed smartphones can be used to detect earthquakes and issue warnings at scale with an effectiveness comparable to established national systems,” the researchers said.

Journalist Discovers Google Vulnerability That Silently Deletes Search Results - 2

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Journalist Discovers Google Vulnerability That Silently Deletes Search Results

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A journalist discovered that Google’s search system contained a major security flaw, enabling users to remove particular web pages from search results.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Bug exploited via Refresh Outdated Content tool using URL capitalization.
  • Articles on CEO Blackman’s felony arrest were removed from Google.
  • Google confirmed the issue and quickly fixed it for few pages.

Jack Poulson, a reporter, found two of his articles completely missing from Google searches. “We only found it by complete coincidence,” Poulson told 404 Media . “I happened to be Googling for one of the articles, and even when I typed in the exact title in quotes it wouldn’t show up in search results anymore,” he added.

Poulson discovered the bug was linked to Google’s Refresh Outdated Content tool, which lets anyone submit a webpage URL for re-indexing after an update. The flaw involved changes in letter capitalization in the URL during these requests, causing Google to delist entire pages, even if they were still live online.

One of the articles affected was about tech CEO Delwin Maurice Blackman’s 2021 felony arrest for domestic violence, published in 2023. Blackman tried to send lawsuits and takedown requests to hide this negative coverage from public view.

Google confirmed the issue to 404 Media: “This tool helps ensure our search results are up to date. We’re vigilant in monitoring abuse, and we worked quickly to roll out a fix for this specific issue, which was only impacting a tiny fraction of web pages.”

Ahmed Zidan from the Freedom of the Press Foundation also found that one of their articles on Poulson’s fight against censorship had been de-listed. He explained to 404 Media how attackers repeatedly submitted URLs with different capital letters in the slug, tricking Google into de-indexing the real pages.

Zidan urged, “We would really love Google and other social platforms to be more transparent with advocacy and press freedom organizations.”

Because anyone can use the tool anonymously, it’s unclear who abused the flaw, but all targeted articles related to Blackman.

Poulson warned, “It’s basically just silent censorship […] any child could do this. If your article doesn’t appear in Google search results, in many ways it just doesn’t exist.”