Backlash as California rolls out ‘EBONY Alert’ to report and find missing black women and children – with critics saying some people will ignore them altogether

A new alert for missing black women and children in California is facing backlash because some critics say it will encourage people to ignore the messages.

The so-called ‘Ebony Alert’, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, is a completely separate notification system from the already existing Amber Alert.

Written by state senator Steven Bradford, many online called the new law — which takes effect Jan. 1 — a new kind of segregation.

The alert will be used for black people between the ages of 12 and 25 and notifies law enforcement and California Highway Patrol to look for the individual.

Bradford and other supporters say they hope it will bring justice to cases of missing black people by encouraging the media to report on their disappearance.

Despite the good intentions, social media users say the distinction is “a way for authorities to decide how quickly they want to respond.”

According to the bill’s language, the now law aims to help locate young people of color who have disappeared in the Golden States.

The ‘Ebony Alert’ does not compete with Amber Alerts – which have been around for more than two decades to track missing persons.

The new system will instead highlight minorities who often don’t get as much attention – both from the media and police – when they go missing.

“You see the difference of when white girls go missing and black girls go missing,” said Berry Accius, founder of Voice of the Youth CBS News.

“The sense of urgency is not there,” Accius said.

Bradford agrees, saying the original intent of the bill was to handle cases and expand on the current system in place for missing persons.

“African-Americans, whether children or young adults, are often listed as runaways,” said Bradford, who represents the Gardenia area.

While Amber Alerts only go to children 17 and under, the Ebony Alert will cover anyone 25 years or younger.

Black youth deemed at risk or those with mental health issues will qualify and the warnings can use technology such as road signs and electronic notifications.

“This will satisfy the attention, the need, the urgency that I feel and it’s going to be a game changer,” Accius said in the interview.

Online, the reaction to the new law was not well received.

‘I’m on the fence about this. I don’t see civilians or police making an extra effort because of the alert saying a child of color is missing,” one person wrote.

While many applauded the intent behind the act, most social media users said it would set a dangerous standard and potentially lead to more problems.

‘It’s actually insulting!!! The Amber Alert is named after a child AMBER and is designed for ALL MISSING CHILDREN!’, one woman wrote. ‘Creating an Ebony Alert puts an emphasis on RACE of the child instead of the actual fact that the child is MISSING! I’m so pissed off at this WORLD.’

Others expressed support for the measure, hoping it would help shed light on the epidemic of missing people of color.

“It’s sad that we have to have a separate system for us bc of how the current system sees black and brown people,” another Instagram user shared. ‘Needless to say, it’s great that this is being implemented. Must be rolled out nationwide.’

“The requirements for an Amber Alert can make it difficult to get one issued, I’m glad that another safety net has been created as too many children are considered runaways and never issued an alert,” said ‘ a third added.

Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump shared news of the bill’s signing into law on Instagram on Tuesday, calling it a good thing for missing black people.

“The next promising step to help find our missing youth,” Crump wrote on Instagram.

However, Crump’s followers were less certain about the new law.

‘I don’t like this. I feel like it makes it easier to neglect our children,’ one person wrote.

‘It only reinforces ‘the other’ and is insulting,’ shared another.

Others celebrated with the attorney, saying they believe it will help address a systemic issue that has dragged on for too long.

“After seeing black girl missing, all states need to pass this law for our brown and black babies and teenagers,” one person wrote in a comment under Crump’s post.

‘It’s a start. Sad we have to make new laws to protect the so called citizens of this nation,’ wrote another.