Facebook New Feature Aids Suicide Prevention
Facebook has begun rolling out a feature update that would aid suicide prevention. The tool would allow users flag concerning content on mobile or desktop and notify the service easily.
When a Facebook friend posts something that indicates he might be thinking of harming himself, users can click on an arrow on the post to report it. The social networking site will then offer options to contact the friend or contact another friend or even contact a suicide helpline.
Facebook has partnered with mental health organizations Forefront, Now Matters Now, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Save.org to develop the tool.
"One of the first things these organizations discussed with us was how much connecting with people who care can help those in distress," Facebook product manager Rob Boyle and community operations safety specialist Nicole Staubli said in a Facebook post. "We have teams working around the world, 24/7, who review any report that comes in. They prioritize the most serious reports, like self-injury, and send help and resources to those in distress."
Officials underscored that if anyone sees a direct threat of suicide on Facebook, they should contact their local emergency services immediately.
The way to report potentially suicidal content has been available to users of Facebook since 2011 however earlier users needed to upload the link of the post or screenshot to the company's suicide prevention page.
