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Facebook Launches Suicide-Prevention Effort

Posted by timothy on from the d'ya-call-in-sick? dept.

adeelarshad82 writes "Facebook launched an initiative that gives users who have expressed suicidal thoughts the option to connect directly with a crisis counselor via Facebook chat. Facebook doesn't troll the site in search of those who might be suicidal; with 800 million users who generate billions of posts, Facebook's algorithm could easily misinterpret comments. Instead, the new initiative is dependent on people speaking up when they feel a friend might be in danger."

11 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's one of those things where the massive size of Facebook can be used for real good. There are already existing hotlines but I doubt they work that well preventing suicides. While they are useful, they aren't shown to people exactly when they really need it. They might know about them, but there's no incentive to try them at those moments. So when Facebook asks it good moment, it could easily save many lifes. Since this still needs the user to agree, it can't be used for harassing people either. If it was automatic it would be stupid, but this way it's only useful.

    So overall, really good option.

    1. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Other than do I really want facebook to know about a mental history since they log everything... How long before they sell any of this info off or it gets scraped? I'll pass.

    2. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If you are suicidal, facebook tracking you is the least of your worries.

    3. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Other than do I really want facebook to know about a mental history since they log everything... How long before they sell any of this info off or it gets scraped? I'll pass.

      Just like with Google, most of Facebook's value comes from the data they own. They would be insane to sell that data to others. They may use it to match advertisers with people by using keywords, age and similar metrics, but they will never sell off the data because that is their most valuable asset.

      Also, this option really doesn't change anything what Facebook knows about you. It presents you an option to discuss with professionals if you need help.

    4. Re:Sounds like a good thing by rainmouse · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Also, this option really doesn't change anything what Facebook knows about you. It presents you an option to discuss with professionals if you need help.

      Can't help but feel that people who are having genuine thoughts about suicide would be rather unlikely to care about updating their facebook status to reflect this. Given the way FB has consistently treated its userbase with greed and contempt, it's hard not to see this as a PR stunt wrapped around another data gold mining opportunity.

    5. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · · Score: 3, Insightful

      While it doesn't apply to all suicide cases, there's also those where the person has told about it has suicidal feelings just prior to it. There's been many news about such cases too regarding internet. Some person has announced widely that he or she is going to do an suicide on some site or video chat. In most of those cases people's only option has been to call the police and after they arrive, it's already too late. They don't have the experience and knowledge to talk to persons with such ideas. That's why FB jumping in and referring the person to talk to a professional should be a good thing.

    6. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Crudely_Indecent · · Score: 3, Insightful

      ...they will never sell off the data because that is their most valuable asset

      Because, of course, user data is a limited resource that is static and non-renewable.

      Of course they sell it! Like bread, user data goes stale - people make new connections, gain new interests, move to new places, get new jobs - new new new! Sell the data today because tomorrow there will be more, and different data.

      Also, this option really doesn't change anything what Facebook knows about you

      Except that you're suicidal. I can count the number of insurance companies that aren't interested in buying THAT data on NO HANDS.

      How many kids will be snatched up by their local flavor of child protective services when it becomes known that they spoke with a crisis counselor?

      --


      "Lame" - Galaxar
    7. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Except that you're suicidal. I can count the number of insurance companies that aren't interested in buying THAT data on NO HANDS.

      Suicide doesn't matter to insurance companies. If you do an suicide, they're not going to pay anything anyway. Did you really think you could get some really high insurance and then do suicide to get your family cash?

    8. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Known people who attempted and later regretted it.

      This single line should tell you exactly why there should be someone trying to prevent it. People aren't always thinking clearly and some problem they have at that exact moment might seem so overwhelming that only way to escape it is suicide, while it really isn't. It's only because that person at that moment thinks so. Most suicides are done out of nothing. I do understand if someone who really has pains and is ill wants to end his life, but that isn't it in majority of the cases. In most cases it's a situation that the person gets over with. That is, if there was someone who prevented him or her from suicide.

    9. Re:Sounds like a good thing by geekoid · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You only think that because you are pretty clueless about suicide, who does it, and what leads to it.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  2. ... as somebody affected... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am addicted to opiates, this year I first lost the love of my life to suicide, then my best friend to an OD, then my grandma to a stroke and finally my dad's cancer has come back, this time metastizing. My life is a complete trainwreck right now, but I cannot inflict this kind of pain onto the people who love me and care about me - so yeah, best facebook related news in a long time. If you find yourself holding a gun to your head while already having the syringe with a 100mg dose of Ultiva pressed to your vein standing on a bridge with a rope around your neck like me half a year ago, just wanting to die so bad... Think about the other lives you are about to fuck up and do the only thing even remotely able to help your situation: cry out for help! Talk to somebody! Anyone! I am 25 and don't know how I will ever be able to smile again, but suicide is just the cruelest action you could ever take against the people loving you.

    Hell, if you need somebodY to talk and noone else is there, email me at neofaschistoide underscore banane at web dot de

    Just don't do it, please! I am still completely ripped apart inside a year after she died :/