In the wake of the force 7.0 earthquake in Haiti last week, Google has donated $1 million, solicited donations from the public through its home page, offered satellite imagery via Google Earth and offered free calls to Haiti via Google Voice.
Today, Google continued to build out its Haiti earthquake crisis response Website with the introduction of a gadget that helps users offer information about missing persons and lets others search for persons missing in the quake.
The gadget, which also is offered on the U.S. State Department Website, is pictured here:
Website owners can easily embed the gadget on their Website by cutting and pasting a few snippets of code. Publishers should be advised that this is a public-facing gadget, so any information users submit will be seen by visitors who click on the gadget, as Google offers in this disclaimer:
“All data entered will be available to the public and viewable and usable by anyone. Google does not review or verify the accuracy of this data.“
It’s excellent that Google is taking these iterative steps, rather than just throwing money at the problem and waiting for it to go away. That’s not going to happen.
Efforts from Microsoft and other U.S. carriers, which are facilitating text message donations, should also be commended.