Euro 2016: France launches official terrorism app to tell people if there has been an attack

The service has been in development since the shootings in Paris in November, and aims to help with many of the problems that happened in the aftermath of that attack

French police forces take part in a mock attack drill in the fan zone in the centre of Lyon, France (REUTERS/Robert Pratta)

France has launched an official terrorism app, which will inform people of any attacks during Euro 2016.

The new service is intended to address many of the problems that came in the aftermath of the attacks in Paris in November. It will allow people to get information if phone networks are down, for instance, and it will also allow authorities to broadcast verified information and avoid misreporting.

Fears about terrorist attacks on Euro 2016 have grown in the lead-up to the beginning of the tournament. The Home Office warned travellers that there was a “high threat from terrorism” and that people should be vigilant, and a number of other agencies including the US State Department has suggested that people heading to the tournament might be in danger.

If an attack does happen, the app will be able to alert people within 15 minutes, according to its makers. Initially it will be ready to alert people to suspected attacks or security incidents that might result from them during Euro 2016 – but eventually the app will be updated to provide alerts about all major “natural and technological risks” and send people alerts.

The app sends out the alerts by using geolocation to find out where people are, but users can also add eight different address areas that they would like to be kept up with news from. The alerts will both provide information about the attack as well as giving instructions on what to do.

How exactly the alerts come will depend on the nature of the warning and where people are. In the case of imminent danger an alert will pop up and take over the full screen.

The alerts will be sent out by the French interior ministry, and will all be verified by the French government.

The app – known as SAIP – can be downloaded for both iOS and Android and works in French and English.