Facebook Launches Suicide-Prevention Effort

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Facebook Launches Suicide-Prevention Effort

Posted by timothy on Tuesday December 13, 2011 @06:02AM 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."

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Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:03 · 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 · 2011-12-13 06:04 · 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 ShakaUVM · 2011-12-13 06:06 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Is it good? It seems creepy to me.
  You don't want to get flagged because you typed "/wrist" in some game thread.
  Even worse if they log that shit, and it turns up the next time you apply for a job...
3. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Wonko+the+Sane · 2011-12-13 06:06 · Score: 1
  
  It sounds like a service that's just asking to be trolled.
4. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:07 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  If you are suicidal, facebook tracking you is the least of your worries.
5. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:07 · 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.
6. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:10 · Score: 1
  
  You don't want to get flagged because you typed "/wrist" in some game thread.
  Note that it isn't automatic. It's only if people report it as such. And to counter trolling, it only presents you an option on what to do. There would be a case if it automatically transferred you to talk to someone, but it doesn't.
7. Re:Sounds like a good thing by rainmouse · 2011-12-13 06:12 · 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.
8. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:17 · 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.
9. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:18 · Score: 1
  
  Please dont do it, let Facebook kill itself!
10. Re:Sounds like a good thing by somersault · 2011-12-13 06:18 · Score: 1
  
  Indeed. The summary meant "trawled" of course. Trolling the users would imply Facebook posting fake messages from friends telling them to do it.
  
  --
  which is totally what she said
11. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:20 · Score: 1
  
  suicidal tendencies have no bearing in a life insurance plan, as suicide voids the benefit.
12. Re:Sounds like a good thing by ackthpt · 2011-12-13 06:20 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  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.
  Good PR, which is something Facebook needs.
  "I'm feeling very depressed."
  "OK, let's start with why you are feeling depressed.
  "Facebook has been spying on me and selling all my personal details, while the founder will be a billionaire, all I get it tonnes of spam and annoyances.
  "um..."
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
13. Re:Sounds like a good thing by TheGratefulNet · 2011-12-13 06:24 · Score: 1
  
  sounds like a bad thing.
  this is akin to medical info about yourself. once this is attached to your so-called 'perm record' (this phrase has new dark meaning, way beyond the fear it put on us in our school days) you'll never get it off (fully) and you can expect it to haunt you the rest of your life.
  everything you do is 'recorded' in today's world. you have to think very carefully if you want this or that recorded about yourself.
  this sounds like a really bad idea. then again, 100% of things from FB are bad ideas, so this is not surprising to me at all.
  if FB wants it, its bad. pretty simple logic and very low latency on the algorithm, too!
  
  --
  
  --
  "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
14. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:27 · Score: 1
  
  It sounds like a service that's just asking to be trolled.
  Like other user said, I guess you could also "troll" your friend by calling police lines and telling them your friend is suicidal or "troll" your neighbor by calling firetrucks to his house.
  
  Just because it's internet doesn't mean you can do whatever you want and there are no consequences.
15. Re:Sounds like a good thing by ArsonSmith · 2011-12-13 06:27 · Score: 1
  
  "um...how about we bump your friend count up to 250?"
  "WOW! that'd be great. I feel better already."
  
  --
  Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
16. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Crudely_Indecent · 2011-12-13 06:29 · 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
17. Re:Sounds like a good thing by wisnoskij · 2011-12-13 06:31 · Score: 1
  
  I agree but not sure if it will do any good.
  I do not think even friends are all that likely to really believe that a friend is going to actually go through with a suicide no matter how emo they are acting.
  And form what I have seen 50% of all high schoolers cut their wrists all the time so I could see either there being a lot of false positive or no understanding until it is too late.
  But it is not like this is going to make it worse, seems like a worthy undertaking by FB.
  
  --
  Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
18. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:34 · 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?
19. Re:Sounds like a good thing by gstoddart · 2011-12-13 06:35 · Score: 1
  
  The summary meant "trawled" of course. Trolling the users would imply Facebook posting fake messages from friends telling them to do it.
  Except, outside of the internet, that word doesn't always mean what you describe.
  In this case, 'troll' is a perfectly legitimate usage of the word.
  
  --
  Lost at C:>. Found at C.
20. Re:Sounds like a good thing by GNUALMAFUERTE · 2011-12-13 06:35 · Score: 1
  
  Why, oh why is it a good thing?
  We are allowed less freedoms every day, and if you want out, we are even going to be denied that?
  Everything is illegal. You can barely do anything without the approval of a government and/or bank. And if you are sick of it, it's not even legal to kill yourself!
  Let the motherfuckers die in peace.
  
  --
  WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
21. Re:Sounds like a good thing by 0100010001010011 · 2011-12-13 06:37 · Score: 1
  
  Not sure if song lyrics; Or about to kill themselves
  I coach a college club team and have numerous of them added to my Facebook (in their own little partitioned group). 95% of the time they're being "depressed" it's just some song lyric. I hope there is a quick google lyrics search before deciding to suggest this service.
22. Re:Sounds like a good thing by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:40 · 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.
23. Re:Sounds like a good thing by NeutronCowboy · 2011-12-13 06:40 · Score: 1
  
  The reason suicide used to be frowned upon was because it was an easy way out of a shit life. Being an abused peasant in, oh, 1200 Europe was not fun. Without a dogmatic "No" to suicide, I'm sure societies would have had a harder time to develop. Now, it's frowned upon because suicide is a waste of invested resources, eminently preventable and generally not justified. Pretty much all suicide cases I'm aware have at their root abuse that results in poor coping mechanisms. Yes, this includes the morons who first off their family, then themselves.
  Suicide should be prevented not because life is precious, but because it's a shitty answer to your problems.
  
  --
  Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
24. Re:Sounds like a good thing by GNUALMAFUERTE · 2011-12-13 06:50 · Score: 1
  
  You know what, as I started reading your post, I felt "fuck yeah, I'm not the only idiot who thinks this way". Then, your words reminded me of Carlin. Then you meta-quoted him. Thank you for being awesome.
  Also, from Carlin, sort of on the subject (Anorexia, a kind of slow suicide, I guess).
  "See, somehow, I can't feel sorry for an anorexic. you know?. Rich cunt, don't want to eat? Fuck her. Fuck her. Don't eat! I give a shit. Like I'm supposed to be concerned about this. "I DON'T WANNA EAT!" Go fuck yourself."
  "Why don't you lie down in front of a railroad train right after you don't eat? What kind of a God damned disease is that, anyway? "I DON'T WANNA EAT!" How do we come up with this shit in this country? Where do we get our values from? Bulimia, there's another all-American disease. This has got to be the only country in the world that could ever have come up with bulimia. Got to be the only country where some people are digging in the dumpster for a peach pit, other people eat a nice meal and puke it up intentionally. "
  
  --
  WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
25. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Beardo+the+Bearded · 2011-12-13 06:50 · Score: 1
  
  So if you express suicidal thoughts they'll serve up ads for House of Knives and CNS?
  
  --
  
  ---
  ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
26. Re:Sounds like a good thing by JazzLad · 2011-12-13 06:54 · Score: 2
  
  Actually, you typically just have to wait 2-5 years [too lazy for citation, but I do know someone who's family collected on a declared suicide] from policy start before committing suicide.
  
  --
  "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." - Every fascist, ever
27. Re:Sounds like a good thing by EdIII · 2011-12-13 06:57 · Score: 1
  
  Trolling may be the least of their problems.
  There have been people that called 911 because McDonald's was out of McRibs.
  I can see a lot of Farmville users calling up the service because of some natural disaster that happened on their farm, or some trophy went missing......
28. Re:Sounds like a good thing by JazzLad · 2011-12-13 06:58 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Except when it doesn't
  
  --
  "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." - Every fascist, ever
29. Re:Sounds like a good thing by EdIII · 2011-12-13 06:59 · Score: 1
  
  Just because it's internet doesn't mean you can do whatever you want and there are no consequences.
  Yeah. That only happens in Las Vegas.
30. Re:Sounds like a good thing by fulldecent · 2011-12-13 07:01 · Score: 1
  
  "Even worse if they log that"... roflcopter
  
  --
  -- I was raised on the command line, bitch
31. Re:Sounds like a good thing by kodiaktau · 2011-12-13 07:06 · Score: 1
  
  Good question. Are there other issues like HIPAA that need to be considered? What about councilor training? Do they have the correct relationships with local police, fire, hospital?
32. Re:Sounds like a good thing by wintercolby · 2011-12-13 07:10 · Score: 2
  
  Now I know why I've started seeing ads for Zoloft and Prozac while chatting with my friends from college.
  
  --
  Most ignorance is vincible ignorance. We don't know because we don't want to know. --Aldous Huxley
33. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Knuckles · 2011-12-13 07:12 · Score: 2
  
  Suicide doesn't matter to insurance companies. If you do an suicide, they're not going to pay anything anyway.
  Seems to be a very good reason for suicide to matter for insurance companies.
  
  --
  "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
34. Re:Sounds like a good thing by geekoid · 2011-12-13 07:14 · 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
35. Re:Sounds like a good thing by geekoid · 2011-12-13 07:16 · Score: 1
  
  "- people make new connections, gain new interests, move to new places, get new jobs - new new new! "
  not as often as you think.
  "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?"
  Zero.
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
36. Re:Sounds like a good thing by CheshireDragon · 2011-12-13 07:16 · Score: 1
  
  Yup, I have MetLife and they have that 2yr 'waiting period' in there too.
  
  --
  "That's right...I said it."
37. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Crudely_Indecent · 2011-12-13 07:20 · Score: 1
  
  Who said anything about getting a payout? I think people would find their policies cancelled.
  
  --
  
  "Lame" - Galaxar
38. Re:Sounds like a good thing by gajop · 2011-12-13 07:35 · Score: 1
  
  Knowing full well much of /. will be up in pitchforks stating how they're out to get you, I think it's a good idea.
  A professor of mine worked on a similar project (competition), creating data mining (machine learning) software that predicts whether someone has suicidal tendencies.
  Just remember, most people working with data mining aren't doing it because they are interested in your personal life, but rather wish to help people and companies have better lives and more money.
39. Re:Sounds like a good thing by morari · 2011-12-13 07:43 · Score: 1
  
  Suicide should be prevented not because life is precious, but because it's a shitty answer to your problems.
  It's the perfect answer to everyone else's problems, though. With almost one trillion people on the face of the planet, sucking up resources, it's not going to hurt to lose some.
  
  --
  "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
40. Re:Sounds like a good thing by DrgnDancer · 2011-12-13 07:56 · Score: 1
  
  You'd be surprised. I'm no expert on the matter, but as a former Army officer who had to serve in Iraq I've been through more than my share of suicide prevention training. It's an annual requirement normally, and I think we did it two or three extra times on deployment. While it's by no means universal, apparently most people who attempt suicide give warning ahead of time, often fairly explicit warning. Mostly they aren't taken seriously.
  Also I'm pretty sure that there are laws preventing Facebook from selling information about suicide counseling. It's the sort of thing the Department of Health and Human Services takes kind of seriously. I don't think there's an ulterior motive here, Facebook has had a couple of high profile suicides linked to them and this is a cheap and fairly effective way to show that they're "doing something."
  
  --
  I don't need a million points of light, just two points of multi-mode fiber and a 10 Gig-E router.
41. Re:Sounds like a good thing by DrgnDancer · 2011-12-13 08:10 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not convinced of the effectiveness of their "sorted, categorized, and fine-tuned quite nicely for whomever is willing to pay for it" information to be honest. Among other things, Facebook seems convinced that I'm gay. The only thing in my entire profile that I can find which indicates that this might be the case is that I've "liked" the Human Right Campaign. I'm married, my spouse is a woman (noted in my profile, and cross noted in hers), I have one gay "friend", but he's not all that active... yet I still get constant ads for gay cruises, and slightly disturbing looking videos. Meanwhile, every other one of my posts is a new run time from my phone, I've often mentioned and/or liked the races I run in, and I still never see any ads for running gear. Same with beer, any human glancing at my history/profile would immediately assume I'm a beer guy, yet nothing ever comes up in ads for beer.
  I dunno if Facebook is trying to tell me something or what.
  
  --
  I don't need a million points of light, just two points of multi-mode fiber and a 10 Gig-E router.
42. Re:Sounds like a good thing by CrimsonAvenger · 2011-12-13 08:24 · Score: 1
  
  With almost one trillion people on the face of the planet, sucking up resources, it's not going to hurt to lose some.
  I suppose it's possible to call 0.7% of a trillion "almost a trillion".
  But, more likely, you just don't know how big a billion and a trillion are....
  
  --
  
  "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
43. Re:Sounds like a good thing by somersault · 2011-12-13 08:48 · Score: 1
  
  I know what "troll" means, and in this case they meant "trawl". I was wondering if I was wrong reading your definitions, but on further research I'm still correct. Trolling is fishing with a dragline (never heard of that before), while trawling is using a dragnet - which is what you figuratively do if you're searching through data.
  In the case of saying how Facebook could troll, that was what I like to call a joke. Guess I should have used one of these :p
  
  --
  which is totally what she said
44. Re:Sounds like a good thing by bill_mcgonigle · 2011-12-13 09:00 · Score: 1
  
  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're more likely to sell a metric, ala credit scores. Credit agencies don't dump their raw data on their clients.
  
  --
  My God, it's Full of Source!
  OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
45. Re:Sounds like a good thing by bws111 · 2011-12-13 09:07 · Score: 2
  
  I disagree. Trolling is discriminatory. It is commonly used by sport fishermen. You select bait, lure, whatever that will appeal to the fish you want, put your line in the water, and slowly move around until you get a bite. Then, you bring the fish in and keep it if it the type you want.
  Trawling is non-discriminatory. It is used by commercial fishermen. You drag a great big net behind your boat and it catches everything in it's path.
  Trolling would be what Facebook would be doing - looking for specific phrases, words, etc that may indicate suicide and ignoring everything else.
  Trawling would mean that they would trigger on every post made, with no discrimination. Which would be entirely useless.
46. Re:Sounds like a good thing by bws111 · 2011-12-13 09:22 · Score: 1
  
  Well, you're wrong. See for instance this story about a well-known case.
  
  The 18-year-old Rutgers freshman killed himself after prosecutors say his roommate secretly recorded a video of Clementi kissing another man and posted it online. His final message on Facebook read, "Jumping off the gw bridge sorry."
47. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Wonko+the+Sane · 2011-12-13 09:22 · Score: 1
  
  Just because it's internet doesn't mean you can do whatever you want and there are no consequences.
  Be that as it may it doesn't stop a lot of people from acting otherwise.
48. Re:Sounds like a good thing by JimFive · 2011-12-13 09:28 · Score: 1
  
  Trolling is fishing with a dragline (never heard of that before),
  I just wanted to point out that internet trolling is based on this definition. Trolling on the internet is tossing some bait out there and trying to get people to bite. A good troll will be taken seriously by enough people to make it funny to the troller (and amused bystanders).
  --
  JimFive
  
  P.S. If your "never heard of that before" was sarcastic just ignore this entire comment.
  
  --
  Please stop using the word theory when you mean hypothesis.
49. Re:Sounds like a good thing by willaien · 2011-12-13 09:30 · Score: 1
  
  Coping mechanisms are important. A person who is given such extreme stress that they cannot even begin to cope with their current coping mechanisms will turn to anything to relieve the stress. This, inevitably, leads some into a downwards spiral to the only thing they can think of to cope: get rid of the stress by getting rid of themselves.
  Especially damaging are 'coping mechanisms' that help you cope, but compound the issue: alcohol, for example, relieves the stress temporarily, but does nothing to help or even hinders you taking care of the underlying stress problems.
50. Re:Sounds like a good thing by JimFive · 2011-12-13 09:35 · Score: 1
  
  Like other user said, I guess you could also "troll" your friend by calling police lines and telling them your friend is suicidal or "troll" your neighbor by calling firetrucks to his house.
  
  Except, of course, that those things are illegal. Reporting a post as suicidal on facebook, not so much.
  --
  JimFive
  
  --
  Please stop using the word theory when you mean hypothesis.
51. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 10:30 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  This is correct -- I work for a life insurance company. Policies held for two years or more cannot be rescinded for any reason, because it is assumed people have a vested interest in their own life. This rule comes from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and has been adopted into state law in all 50 states.
  Life insurance is surprisingly well regulated. It's pretty hard for a company to dispute that someone is dead, so nearly all claims are paid out. Even an honest mistake, such as misstating your age on a policy form will result in a payout, just adjusted to a different amount (either up or down).
52. Re:Sounds like a good thing by fiannaFailMan · 2011-12-13 11:07 · Score: 1
  
  Why, oh why is it a good thing?
  We are allowed less freedoms every day, and if you want out, we are even going to be denied that?
  Everything is illegal. You can barely do anything without the approval of a government and/or bank. And if you are sick of it, it's not even legal to kill yourself!
  Let the motherfuckers die in peace.
  Hey idiot! Suicide is no longer illegal!
  
  --
  Drill baby drill - on Mars
53. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Ol+Olsoc · 2011-12-13 11:34 · Score: 1
  
  It's one of those things where the massive size of Facebook can be used for real good.
  
  A whole lot of us think that use of Facebook at all is a good reason for counseling.
  
  --
  The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
54. Re:Sounds like a good thing by cheekyjohnson · 2011-12-13 12:05 · Score: 1
  
  actually wrong with you
  Subjective. "I don't like the way person X thinks. Therefore, there is something objectively wrong with them."
  
  --
  Filthy, filthy copyrapists!
55. Re:Sounds like a good thing by somersault · 2011-12-13 12:25 · Score: 1
  
  When. i think of trawling I think of fisnhng, or trawling a lake for dead bodies for example. You have to start off indiscriminately checking/catching every post (every bit of garbage at the bottom of the lake, or a bunch of dolphins as well as your fish) and then keep the ones that match your search, throwing the rest away.
  
  --
  which is totally what she said
56. Re:Sounds like a good thing by RazorSharp · 2011-12-13 14:20 · Score: 1
  
  I knew I would get modded troll for it, but like Carlin I feel a need to express my non-PC opinions. You don't break down politically correct boundaries by keeping quiet about it. I also knew someone out there would share my opinion and appreciate it. Thanks.
  I love showing Carlin stand-ups to my ultra-PC friends. They always act like he's just joking about this shit, that he doesn't really mean it. They laugh because they think it's absurdly untrue. I laugh because I think it's absurdly true.
  
  --
  "From the depths of my skeptical and rationalist soul, I ask the Lord to protect me from California touchie-feeliedom."
57. Re:Sounds like a good thing by a_hanso · 2011-12-13 14:41 · Score: 1
  
  ...people who are having genuine thoughts about suicide would be rather unlikely to care about updating their facebook status
  No. While they will never directly announce it, people who are severely depressed or in crisis -- especially young people -- will tend to put up updates that are hints to their states of mind. I've seen these come in the form of famous quotations that say something to the effect, "This is a cruel world". Sometimes it is just an unhappy face smiley. Sometimes it is a cryptic update that hints something is wrong but doesn't say what.
  Fortunately, most people among my friends quickly respond to such updates. People who are at risk will be the once who get no responses.
58. Re:Sounds like a good thing by quacking+duck · 2011-12-13 17:33 · Score: 1
  
  This. And it doesn't even have to be proof of suicidal thoughts. I once entered "mild depression" on a company health insurance application form. I was denied extended coverage even after my doctor wrote to clarify it was more social anxiety than depression. It didn't matter; my HR rep said that insurance companies will use ANY mental health issue listed as an excuse to deny extended coverage.
59. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 18:25 · Score: 1
  
  When I attempted suicide, the last thing on my mind was to get help. That's just the way it is. Everything is gone - I didn't even write a suicide letter.
  (I popped about 40-60 15mg Valiums. Wife came home early (didn't know she would), found me, and rushed me to hospital. Doc reckoned if I got there about 30 minutes later it would've been too lat).
  This suicide-chat will be for teens looking for attention. Maybe, just maybe, they'll have the odd real case once a month. Which, frankly, if they can chat that one user into getting professional help would probably be worth it.
60. Re:Sounds like a good thing by GNUALMAFUERTE · 2011-12-14 22:32 · Score: 1
  
  You tell me I'm wrong, you tell me what's right, and you present no arguments whatsoever. You must be a christian, with your canned morals.
  
  --
  WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
61. Re:Sounds like a good thing by GNUALMAFUERTE · 2011-12-14 22:38 · Score: 1
  
  As Carlin used to say, "It's my job to think about this kind of things". And when you are among the few who can actually see behind the curtain of falsehood and PC bullshit, it becomes your duty to speak up. It gets me in trouble more often than I'd like, and gets me more enemies than friends, but the few friends it brings are the real deal, so it's totally worth it in the end.
  As Nietzsche said, "We will have to pay for having been Christians for two thousand years"
  
  --
  WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
If they really wanted to prevent suicide... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:06 · Score: 1

...they'd stop changing the interface every week to something people hate even more than the last time they changed the interface the week before.
1. Re:If they really wanted to prevent suicide... by ackthpt · 2011-12-13 06:28 · Score: 1
  
  ...they'd stop changing the interface every week to something people hate even more than the last time they changed the interface the week before.
  Oh, I dunno. I get a vigourous respiratory workout with shouting expletives at them while pounding on my keyboard. Good for the cardio-vascular and all.
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
2. Re:If they really wanted to prevent suicide... by sapgau · 2011-12-13 06:44 · Score: 1
  
  Came for the obvious fb suicide remark...
  mod up +1
3. Re:If they really wanted to prevent suicide... by Vegemeister · 2011-12-13 08:21 · Score: 1
  
  Meh. Seeing people bitching about new Facebook layouts is quite entertaining. In fact, it's the highlight of my week. If they took that away from me I just don't know what I'd do...
Oh good by ExtremeSupreme · 2011-12-13 06:07 · Score: 1

I can't wait until completely sane people get formed ("Form 1") over this. Fantastic!
I'd have thought ... by burisch_research · 2011-12-13 06:07 · Score: 1

Seriously, Facebook should be more worried about Web 2.0 suicide ...

--
char*f="char*f=%c%s%c;main(){printf(f,34,f,34);}";main(){printf(f,34,f,34);}
1. Re:I'd have thought ... by ExtremeSupreme · 2011-12-13 06:08 · Score: 2
  
  Yeah... has anyone noticed that people have STOPPED POSTING PHOTO ALBUMS on Facebook? What's up with that? I've stopped too. I think Facebook is on the outs if their most popular feature behind wall posts has almost completely disappeared ( at least from my friends list).
2. Re:I'd have thought ... by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:12 · Score: 1
  
  I constantly get new photos from my friends. Maybe you need new and more interesting friends.
3. Re:I'd have thought ... by ExtremeSupreme · 2011-12-13 06:13 · Score: 1
  
  You might get loads of photos in your feed. I do as well. But do you get photo albums in the same number as you used to, say, one year ago?
4. Re:I'd have thought ... by InsightIn140Bytes · 2011-12-13 06:21 · Score: 1
  
  During summer and little after that, yes I got. Now it's middle of December so it's understandable that there really isn't much happening. Now it's mostly from people traveling or living overseas.
5. Re:I'd have thought ... by geekoid · 2011-12-13 07:25 · Score: 1
  
  you mean, as more people join, it approaches some peak where pretty much everyone you know who will join, has joined?
  shocking.
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
I Though They Tried Preventing This by Jeremiah+Cornelius · 2011-12-13 06:08 · Score: 2

Over a year ago:
http://suicidemachine.org/

--
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Should be pretty easy .... by netwarerip · 2011-12-13 06:09 · Score: 2

Just sign up everyone who is a member of the 'Indianapolis Colts Fan Club' group
1. Re:Should be pretty easy .... by uncanny · 2011-12-13 06:21 · Score: 1
  
  :*(
  ah shaddup
More like this...good move. by Tufriast · 2011-12-13 06:12 · Score: 3, Interesting

Honestly, I do not see why a social network has not done this in the past. I had this idea that perhaps Doctors could get help to people on social networks via this means - at least schedule appointments. $0 cost and doctors might be able to get some new patients. Forums are around that do this, but its not like FB. Scope is what they have on the table. As long as the chat messages are secure, I think we could see a lot more philanthropic work hitting social networks. How about donations to the Red Cross or any organization via FB?

--
Help me, help you. - Jerry McGuire
1. Re:More like this...good move. by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:51 · Score: 1
  
  As long as the chat messages are secure, I think we could see a lot more philanthropic work hitting social networks.
  it's facebook. you have to explicitly opt out to keep your suicide hotline chat from being used for marketing.
Already patented by gshegosh · 2011-12-13 06:13 · Score: 2

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110511003156/annoyingorange/images/b/bc/Clippy-suicide.jpg
1. Re:Already patented by Bios_Hakr · 2011-12-13 08:02 · Score: 1
  
  No. See, you aren't thinking like a lawyer. You can patent something IRL. Then get another patent for the same thing by adding "on a computer". Then, get a third patent by saying "on the internet". Maybe a fourth by saying "on a social network".
  
  --
  I'd rather you do it wrong, than for me to have to do it at all.
Trolling? by krobe · 2011-12-13 06:16 · Score: 1

Is this some use of the word troll I don't know or does TFS (and TFA) mean trawl?
1. Re:Trolling? by ExtremeSupreme · 2011-12-13 06:19 · Score: 1
  
  Troll is pronounced the same as trawl. I always thought I was trolling for fish when I was a kid, when all that time I was trawling. I'm pretty sure troll is just a bastardization of the word trawl, since the purpose of it is to catch responses and emotions from other people.
2. Re:Trolling? by ExtremeSupreme · 2011-12-13 06:21 · Score: 1
  
  Ugh. I just looked it up on Wikipedia. Apparently both trawling and trolling are different forms of fishing. Fishers might be good at fishing but they're shit for coming up with non-homophonic words that are nearly, but not quite, identical, apparently.
3. Re:Trolling? by bws111 · 2011-12-13 06:57 · Score: 1
  
  Trolling is fishing with a line hanging off a moving boat. You only catch fish that bite. Trawling is fishing by dragging a net. You catch everything. Trolling is correct in this context.
4. Re:Trolling? by dyingtolive · 2011-12-13 07:10 · Score: 1
  
  ...
  
  Well? Did it turn out you were trolling or trawling? What type of fishing DID you do!? Christ man, I'm practically on the edge of my seat here!
  
  --
  Support the EFF and Creative Commons. The war is coming, and they're supporting you...
5. Re:Trolling? by geekoid · 2011-12-13 07:29 · Score: 1
  
  Those words came into fishing lingo from non fishing sources.
  Just sayin'
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
6. Re:Trolling? by oldmac31310 · 2011-12-13 09:31 · Score: 1
  
  No. They are not pronounced the same way. Troll has and 'o' sound. Trawl has an 'aw' sound.
  
  --
  http://www.acetonestudio.com
Re:LET THE TROLLING BEGIN by phooky · 2011-12-13 06:21 · Score: 2

There is also a number you can call to send the fire department to your neighbor's house. Welcome to the internet! Lulz ho. Please try not to be a sociopathic asshole.
Good approach by milbournosphere · 2011-12-13 06:23 · Score: 1

If they had gone with an algorithm, all they'd manage to create would be an emo-kid detector. Better to rely on real-world people to provide the red flags in this case. Props to Facebook for implementing something like this.
Re:LET THE TROLLING BEGIN by GameboyRMH · 2011-12-13 06:26 · Score: 1

I'm not going to troll innocent users myself, I was merely pointing out how ripe for abuse this system is

--
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
The product by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:28 · Score: 1

Since the people are the product, is this suicide prevention or quality control on their part?
First thought... by roc97007 · 2011-12-13 06:31 · Score: 1

...It will be hijacked by organizations that will try to sell goods and services to depressed people. About, say, tomorrow.

--
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
FFFFFFFFF I just outed meself! by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:33 · Score: 3, Funny

4Chan follows suit, hires on-staff crisis counselor noted self-help author Anne Hiro
1. Re:FFFFFFFFF I just outed meself! by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 06:52 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  There are already 4chan suicide counselor, except that those encourage you to be an hero and deliver.
2. Re:FFFFFFFFF I just outed meself! by Caesar+Tjalbo · 2011-12-13 08:51 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, we can put an end to this suicide thing.
  
  I'm not suicidal and I'm not on Facebook. Coincidence?
  
  --
  "I'm not much interested in interoperability. I want substitutability. I want to be able to throw your software out."
meta-Goodwined! by Thud457 · 2011-12-13 06:53 · Score: 1

You know who else doesn't have a Facebook account?
Ted Kaczynski. lol whut?

--
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
1. Re:meta-Goodwined! by CheshireDragon · 2011-12-13 07:13 · Score: 1
  
  MY MOM!!!
  
  --
  "That's right...I said it."
Marketing Potential by Gnaget · 2011-12-13 06:54 · Score: 1

Afterwards, you will forever be marked in the suicidal demographic, and you'll start seeing ads for anti-depressants and Dido mp3s
Re:LET THE TROLLING BEGIN by Hentes · 2011-12-13 07:05 · Score: 1

There is also a number you can call to send the fire department to your neighbor's house.
And then pay the bill if there wasn't a fire... This thing can be easily abused.
What? I am confused. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · 2011-12-13 07:26 · Score: 1

The summary suggests that people on facebook have a life. Really? If they do, why are they on facebook?

--
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
Re:LET THE TROLLING BEGIN by geekoid · 2011-12-13 07:26 · Score: 1

What are you talking about? pay the bill?

--
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
Just thought I'd mention by Synerg1y · 2011-12-13 07:47 · Score: 1

Myspace was here RIP.
http://www.myspace.com/800273talk
How about that Like button? by dominious · 2011-12-13 07:56 · Score: 1

Maybe if they change that we could save lots of misunderstanding!
1. Re:How about that Like button? by atisss · 2011-12-13 10:58 · Score: 1
  
  No, the Suicide councelor will then follow up on your posts and Like them.
  They could actually implement the same scheme for helping terrorists (they can just ask councelor for help).
  While slashdot doesn't have any of those, I'll just go and blow up something, killing myself in big boom
Called... by Temujin_12 · 2011-12-13 08:14 · Score: 1

DontJumpVille

--
Faith is a willingness to accept something w/o complete proof and to act on it. Reason allows you to correct that faith.
1. Re:Called... by Tablizer · 2011-12-13 08:44 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe CantFaceitBook.com
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
Facebook's psychological effects by slasho81 · 2011-12-13 08:18 · Score: 1

If you're depressed, staying on Facebook may not be the best course of action.
damn American provincialism rears it's head again! by Thud457 · 2011-12-13 09:19 · Score: 1

With almost one trillion people on the face of the planet, sucking up resources, it's not going to hurt to lose some.
I suppose it's possible to call 0.7% of a trillion "almost a trillion".

But, more likely, you just don't know how big a billion and a trillion are....
Listen bub, there's 76 planets in the Galactic Confederacy, what makes you think he's talking about Earth?!!

--
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Re:I can see it now... by reub2000 · 2011-12-13 10:59 · Score: 1

The whole thing sounds like something cooked up by lawyers to limit their liability in case someone offs themselves. They connect the person to a third party councilor, so facebook can say, we tried, but it wasn't our fault that this third party said the wrong thing.
ironic by Eponymous+Hero · 2011-12-13 11:10 · Score: 1

since the best cure for using facebook is suicide

--
insensitive clod overlords obligatory xkcd car analogy russian reversals whoosh pedant fanbois ftfy in 3...2...1..PROFIT
... as somebody affected... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-12-13 11:10 · 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 :/
1. Re:... as somebody affected... by Paul+Fernhout · 2011-12-15 12:28 · Score: 1
  
  I've found waves of grief gradually get farther and father apart when a loved on dies (though this process may take a long time)...
  Here are some general health tips I put together, on vitamin D deficiency and other nutritional deficiences given that health can effect mood: http://www.changemakers.com/discussions/discussion-493#comment-38823
  Here is some information about moving past addictions: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article16.aspx
  Suicide could be seen as like a tree falling over in a storm. The trees that stay up in a storm tend to be the ones that are a bit flexible and have deep strong roots. What are the roots in your life (friends, family, hobbies, community, habits, pets, spiritual beliefs, good work, nature, music, and so on) and how can you strengthen them?
  Please get yourself and your Dad tested for vitamin D deficiency... Look up Dr. John Cannell's site on that.
  http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/cancer/
  And check out Dr. Fuhrman's on eating more vegetables and fruits and gettign enough omega 3s:
  http://www.drfuhrman.com/disease/default.aspx
  Exercise can help, too. You could talk to your doctor about juice fasting, too.
  People might be better off if Facebook helped spread good health advice than just tried to pick up the pieces from unhealth living that is so promoted in our society (because addicting others is profitable to someone, often, and the basics of good health can be pretty cheap and profit less).
  Good luck to you and you Dad. At least you can make the most of the time you still have together. That would mean a lot to him, I'm sure. And, in some sense, people remain alive when we hold a memory of them in our hearts.
  
  --
  A 21st century issue: the irony of technologies of abundance in the hands of those still thinking in terms of scarcity.
Does This Help? by Idetuxs · 2011-12-13 15:34 · Score: 1

I really can't understand how could anyone have a friend that seems willing to commit suicide and just tell that friend "Hey, there's a help-chat thing in facebook". Really, from responses I read it looks like everyone prefers to get in touch via internet than make a phone call or show up at firend's house. Kind of creepy.
May be I misunderstood the comments but i didn't read a single that said this Suicide Prevention it's useless. We are talking about serious stuff. My point: CAN A CHAT BOX -with 'Facebook'- SOLVE SUICIDE PROBLEMS??
Waiting eagerly for it by marco.antonio.costa · 2011-12-13 22:21 · Score: 1

So I can troll my friends by telling Facebook I think they might be suicidal and get the counselors to go 'Please, don't kill yourself' on them.
Its gonna be a blast.

--
Send your spendthrift head of state this
Facebook scanning software by imrickjamesbitch99 · 2011-12-19 20:36 · Score: 1

Facebook already uses scanning software to pick up keywords in people's private mail. I've tested my theory and what they do is disable your account if you say you are going to get rid of yourself. This happens within seconds of sending the mail. No one has to report it. It's really not that hard to implement that software as it is the same idea behind targeted advertising (think: Gmail) based on our private correspondence. The fact is, nothing is private anymore.