Systems and methods for providing critical information to a user of a content providing service based on profile data associated with the user are disclosed. Such systems and methods can include storing a user profile that identifies a plurality of communication pathways via which a critical information alert can be provided to a user associated with the user profile. The critical information alert contains critical information provided by the content providing service. The user profile includes a respective set of decision criteria associated with each of the plurality of communication pathways. A satisfied set of decision criteria is identified from among the respective sets of decision criteria. The critical information alert is provided to the user via the communication pathway associated with the satisfied set of decision criteria.