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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."

25 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 ShakaUVM · · 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 Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

    4. 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.

    5. 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.

    6. 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.

    7. 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
    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 JazzLad · · 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
    10. Re:Sounds like a good thing by JazzLad · · Score: 3, Informative

      Except when it doesn't

      --
      "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." - Every fascist, ever
    11. Re:Sounds like a good thing by wintercolby · · 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
    12. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Knuckles · · 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
    13. 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
    14. Re:Sounds like a good thing by bws111 · · 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.

    15. Re:Sounds like a good thing by Anonymous Coward · · 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).

  2. I Though They Tried Preventing This by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 2

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

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
  3. Re:I'd have thought ... by ExtremeSupreme · · 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).

  4. Should be pretty easy .... by netwarerip · · Score: 2

    Just sign up everyone who is a member of the 'Indianapolis Colts Fan Club' group

  5. More like this...good move. by Tufriast · · 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
  6. Already patented by gshegosh · · Score: 2

    http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110511003156/annoyingorange/images/b/bc/Clippy-suicide.jpg

  7. Re:LET THE TROLLING BEGIN by phooky · · 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.

  8. FFFFFFFFF I just outed meself! by Anonymous Coward · · 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 · · Score: 5, Informative

      There are already 4chan suicide counselor, except that those encourage you to be an hero and deliver.

  9. ... 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 :/