An Amber Alert (also known as an AMBER Alert) or a child abduction emergency alert (SAME code: CAE) is a message issued by a child abduction alert system asking the public for assistance in locating abducted children. The method was developed in the United States.

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AMBER is an abbreviation that stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. It was inspired by Amber Rene Hagerman, a teenager who was kidnapped and ultimately found killed in 1996. Alternative regional alert titles were “Levi’s Call” in Georgia (in memory of Levi Frady), “Maile Amber Alert” in Hawaii (in memory of Maile Gilbert), “Morgan Nick Amber Alert” in Arkansas (in memory of Morgan Nick), and “Rachael Alert” in Utah (in memory of Rachael Runyan).

The Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Radio broadcast Amber alerts in the United States via commercial and public radio stations, Internet radio, satellite radio, television stations, text messaging, and cable TV (where they are termed “Child Abduction Emergency” or “Amber Alerts”).

The alerts are also sent by e-mail, electronic traffic signs, commercial electronic billboards, and SMS text messages sent to wireless devices. AMBER Alert has also partnered with Google, Bing, and Facebook to reach an ever-expanding demographic: AMBER Alerts are automatically shown when individuals search for or utilise map tools on Google or Bing.

Citizens who search for related information in a specific location where a child has recently been kidnapped and an alert has been issued will notice an AMBER Alert if they use Google Child Alert (also known as Google AMBER Alert in some countries).

This is a component of the AMBER Alert system, which is already operational in the United States (there are also developments in Europe). Those who want to receive AMBER Alerts in their region by SMS texts can go to Wireless Amber Alerts, which are provided by law as free notifications. Display scrollboards in front of lottery terminals are also employed in several states.

Each police body (in many cases, the state police or highway patrol) that probes each abduction makes the choice to issue an AMBER Alert. The name and description of the abductee, a description of the suspected abductor, and a description and licence plate number of the abductor’s vehicle, if available, are often included in an AMBER Alert.