Facebook has recently updated its resources, which now includes new tools that will help users across the world to reach out better to friends who might be experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-injury. This was first announced on Tuesday (June 14). According to facebook, the tools were developed in collaboration with mental health organisations, along with valuable inputs from people who have personal experience with self-injury or suicide. Facebook, in Singapore has partnered with local non-profit suicide prevention centre, “Samaritans of Singapore” to launch the aforementioned tools.
With this partnership, users will now be able to reach out directly to those who post something on Facebook that raises concern about their well-being. They also have the option of reporting the post to Facebook, which has teams working round the clock to review such reports that come in. The teams will help prioritise the reports, according to the seriousness and send help and resources to those in distress. The expanded resources include the options to reach out to a friend, contact a helpline or even view tips that will help cope with different problems.
According to Asia One, “In rare cases of clear imminent risk of suicide, Facebook reaches out to local authorities so that they can do a welfare check to provide support to the person and hopefully prevent their death,” the social media platform said in response to queries from The Straits Times.