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Facebook offers suicide support


Johannesburg, 17 Jun 2016
Facebook is rolling out tools that allow users to alert Facebook to possible suicide posts.
Facebook is rolling out tools that allow users to alert Facebook to possible suicide posts.

The world's largest social network has teamed up with suicide prevention and mental health experts to create tools that will offer support to concerned friends and family members, and help people who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts.

It will be rolled out worldwide over the next few weeks, in all languages. Forefront, Lifeline, and Save.org helped Facebook develop these tools.

Jennifer Guadagno, a researcher at Facebook, says: "If someone posts something on Facebook that makes you concerned about their well-being, you can reach out to them directly - and you also can also report the post to us.

"We have teams working around the world, 24/7, who review reports that come in. They prioritise the most serious reports, like self-injury."

The resources sent to the person who posts something concerning will include an expanded set of options.

"People can now choose to reach out to a friend, contact a helpline, or see tips," says Guadagno.

The site does warn that if a user is in crisis, they should call local emergency services first.

From Reporting to Supporting: Using Facebook to Support Someone in Suicidal Crisis from SAVE on Vimeo.

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