Facebook has rolled out its suicide prevention tools, allowing the website and users to reach out to people who they think need support.
Facebook has announced in a blog post that it is building a safer community by improving its suicide prevention and mental health support tools. Its improvements include the use of artificial intelligence, more partners, and more interaction with loved ones and organizations.
Reports
Facebook users can either reach out to a friend or report a post that they think contains something along the line of self-injury. According to Facebook, once a post is reported, they provide support options such as a help line, resources, and pre-populated text that would make it easier to start conversations.
Artificial Intelligence
Facebook writes that AI technology is being used to screen posts (whether they were reported or otherwise) for thoughts of self-harm. Once posts are identified, a team will review the posts and provide resources to the person of interest.
Facebook Live & Facebook Messenger
Tools also include the use of Facebook Live and Facebook Messenger. A person using the former can receive a set of resources on their screen to either contact friends or help lines.
On the other hand, loved ones can help friends by using Messenger to connect with support partners. Facebook writes that there will be an option to send a message to someone using an organization's page or using the suicide prevention tools provided.
According to Facebook, one death by suicide occurs every 40 seconds. The social media site has a lot of potentials to do something to address this given its number of users.
These tools will make it easier for users to reach out to their loved ones and for those who have mental health problems to receive the support and aid that they need. To learn more about it, watch the video by the Wall Street Journal below.
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