Facebook, the social media giant that allows people to connect with one another and share all kinds of media (and emotions), has launched a new feature designed for suicide prevention. In partnership with Now Matters Now, Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention, and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, this initiative aims to provide more options for users when they deem a friend's post as concerning.
The feature is available by February 25, 2015 and is accessible on both desktop and mobile.
With over a billion users, it's about time that Facebook takes part in helping curb suicide. After all, its users are all about sharing personal details about themselves, both directly and indirectly.
The feature can be utilized by any user who sees a particular post by a Facebook friend that might indicate that he or she is considering self-harm. The user can click the top right arrow on the post and choose "Report Post". Options will then be provided for the reporting user- contact the friend in question, contact another friend for support, or get in touch with a suicide helpline.
After the report, Facebook will review the post, and if it indeed shows any signs of distress that may lead to self-harm, the person will be contacted directly. Options will also be provided for the person- contact a friend, send a Facebook message to a friend, or contact a suicide helpline. Other options available include tips from self-care experts, ideas on how to deal with suicidal thoughts, and locating local self-care experts.
According to Holly Hetherington, a Facebook content strategist involved in the project, friends and family "who are observers in this situation don't know what to do. They're concerned, but they're worried about saying the wrong thing or somehow making it worse. Socially, mental illness and thoughts about suicide are just not something we talk about," she said.
