- By the “The Smile of the Child” organisation, with the technological support of COSMOTE
- The idea for the Missing Alert App started from a COSMOTE internal Hackathon
The Missing Alert App, a new mobile app that helps locate missing people faster in Greece, is available for free download. The advanced app, designed and developed by COSMOTE for The Smile of the Child organisation, gives all citizens the chance to contribute in the search to locate fellow citizens in real time, but also protect their loved ones – children and older individuals who run a high risk of disappearing – therefore expanding their social solidarity circle.
Users may download the mobile app -initially at
Google Play store- and:
- Receive information in real time about children and adults currently missing, while finding out how the search is going.
- Assist in the efforts of The Smile of the Child by providing information on a case at any time, wherever they are, via chat or phone.
- Carry out a missing person case search based on different criteria (e.g. date of missing case, distance from their location).
- Share missing person cases on their personal social media accounts, therefore, mobilising other volunteers.
- Protect people close to them who belong to vulnerable groups and run a high risk of disappearing (e.g. due to dementia, intellectual disability), by proactively declaring their personal details through the app, so that the missing persons’ alert and search operation are expedited if the need arises.
The app is being exclusively managed by a special team of The Smile of the Child, which channels all user information to the Hellenic Police, as well as other institutional bodies responsible for managing missing people cases in Greece.
All over the 24 years of its operation The Smile of the Child has handled more than 1600 missing people cases involving children, while as of January 2020, after signing a relevant cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Citizen Protection, the organisation has undertaken over 23 searches to locate adults (aged 18 to 60) who belong in vulnerable or high-risk groups.
“T
he Smile of the Child has been standing by every child, and from now on every adult who goes missing and belongs to a vulnerable or high-risk group, always working closely with the competent bodies, with a deep sense of respect for the official search procedures of the Hellenic Police and the mandates of the prosecutorial authorities. Through a wide network of services, activations and collaborations, and thanks to the use of innovative tools and advanced technology, we are continuing to respond to missing person cases efficiently and promptly, setting Greece as an example globally. In this context, and thanks to the new innovative app, designed and developed by COSMOTE, we can all actively contribute in the process of locating a fellow citizen who has gone missing, at no extra cost. For these reasons, I urge everyone to download the Missing Alert App and participate in this effort,” said the President of the Organisation, Costas Yannopoulos.
The idea for the Missing Alert App sprang from a COSMOTE innovation contest
The idea for the Missing Alert App sprang from Hackathon, COSMOTE’s internal innovation contest, by a team of young people who had all experienced the disappearance of a person in their family. The company undertook the design and development of the app, using The Smile of the Child’s technical know-how on missing people cases.
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The recent pandemic and subsequent twists in the global economy and community have turned technology into humanity’s number one ally. Over the last few months, our country has managed to take a significant step towards the new digital reality. At OTE Group, by investing in advanced infrastructure and technical solutions, we want to ensure that our transition towards the future will continue at an even faster pace. The case of the Missing Alert App is an excellent example of how technology can contribute to the greater good and make the world a better place,” stated George Athanasopoulos, OTE Group Chief Information Officer.
COSMOTE takes advantage of technology and innovation to create solutions and apps so as to make the world a better place for all. In this context, it has been continuously supporting the significant work carried out by The Smile of the Child, offering telecommunications services, infrastructure and tech solutions that assist the Organisation in its difficult task of caring for children and addressing missing persons cases in Greece.