Facebook Implement Suicide Prevention Tools
Face Team Up With Mental Health Organisations To Reach Out To Those In Need
Facebook have begun
rolling out a set of tools which is designed to aid in suicide prevention by
reaching out to people who seem troubled.
Social media is a great
way to connect with your friends. It’s also quite good for throwing statuses,
tweets and filtered pictures at everyone too.
But for some social media
users, it’s utilised as a tool to talk about their depression and in their
darkest moments, a way to express their desires to commit suicide or to say goodbye.
Now, thanks to some new
tools, Facebook users will be able to report worrying posts where you fear the
user might be having suicidal thoughts. The post will then be quickly reviewed by
a third party who will then decide if they should reach out to the reported
user.
Here’s what will pop up
for the user if it’s decided that their content is cause for concern:
mashable.com
As you can see, you can
choose to talk to someone. A professional or even just a friend. Users will
also be able to choose to look through a selection of support guides and tips.
To create this set of
tools, Facebook teamed up with a number of mental health organisations in
order to make sure that the methods and language used would be appropriate in
order to reach out to those most in need. The organizations include and are not limited
to: Forefront, Now Matters Now, The National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline and Save.
Take a look at how it all
works here:
Naturally, this sounds
like a fantastic new tool for Facebook. We’re really not quite good enough at
accepting that mental health is just as much of an illness as a physical issue
yet. But at least Facebook is taking steps in the right direction.
Unfortunately, I do worry
about this feature being abused. Last year a similar feature was introduced to
Twitter by the Samaritans. The system operated on an algorithm that picked out
buzz words and it left a lot to be desired. It caused people struggling with
issues to feel even more vulnerable. It also gave stalkers and bullies a chance
to increase the level of abuse they were already cowardly dishing out. Nasty little blighters, hey?
However, since the Twitter
CEO admitted that they were at fault for the levels of abuse on their site, Twitter
has since tripled the size of their team which deals with abuse.
Furthermore, Facebook’s
suicide prevention tool requires actual human interaction in order to reach out
to someone. If they act fast, it should prove much more successful that Twitter’s
last attempt.
Tom Welby
Contact us on Twitter, on Facebook, or leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or management why not take a look at our website for more info http://socialmediacambridge.co.uk/.
Tom Welby
Tom has a degree in Creative and Professional Writing and he currently manages, edits and writes for this blog. His other interests include Arnold Schwarzenegger films and his dog. Follow him @TomAtSMF
Facebook Implement Suicide Prevention Tools
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Wednesday, March 04, 2015
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Wednesday, March 04, 2015
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.