Facebook sets up safety check-in for Paris residents

The feature allows people in Paris to alert friends on the social network that they are safe

Facebook today launched a check-in feature to let people alert their friends that they were safe in Paris. Earlier, a string of terror attacks, including bombings and shootings, across the French capital killed at least 140 people.

The "Paris Terror Attacks" safety check on Facebook lets people signal whether they were out of harm's way, then notifies all those they know at the leading social network.

"Quickly find and connect with friends in the area," a message at the Facebook Safety Check page read. "Mark them safe if you know they're OK."

The feature also allowed people to check which friends listed as being in Paris had not yet checked in as safe.

The death toll in the "unprecedented" series of attacks across Paris climbed through the night yesterday.