Facebook To Offer New Suicide Prevention Tool

suicide prevention tool

For a change, we would like to share some good news on the fight against suicide. As you know it is important to us to fight bullying on all fronts and as part of that, suicide must be addressed since so many people who are bullied, turn to suicide.

Social media has played a major role in spreading destructive and hurtful words to our youth. It has always been an outlet or a last cry for help that too often gets missed or found out to late. On Wednesday Facebook is taking steps to tilt the social media scale to have more positive impacts.

How Will the New Facebook Suicide Prevention Tool Work?

Facebook will have an option that lets users flag a post when a friend may be considering self- harm. The concerned party can click on the little arrow at the top right of a status and click “Report Post.” When that person logs in next, Facebook will then offer options to contact the person concerned about them, enlist the help of another friend or put them in contact with a suicide helpline.

The social network has teamed up with mental health organizations Forefront, Now Matters Now, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Save.org to make it easier for users to show their concern.

“We know this will not magically make suicide go away but if social media sites continue to implement positive tools, and people continue to try and prevent suicide and fight bullying on all fronts it’s a step in the right direction.”

-Neal Goldstein, Senior Partner

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