Facebook, Google refer suicidal people to help lines

[beer]

(CNN) -- Computer networks can't feel or understand jokes, but software engineers have hardwired some compassion.

Mechanisms in place in Facebook's system and in Google's search engine can look for suicidal messages and direct people to help.

Facebook is encouraging its 800 million users to use a system the company created to flag suicidal or otherwise violent messages. If someone is posting unsettling photos or writing status updates about killing himself or herself, friends can click on a "report suicidal content" link.

At Facebook, staff members are monitoring these reports at all times of the day, a spokesman told CNN in June. Facebook investigates each report and may send a suicidal person an e-mail offering phone numbers for suicide hot lines, he said.

That feature has been around since at least the summer, but Facebook said in a statement on Tuesday that it is expanding a partnership with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

In addition to phone support, the lifeline will now let Facebook users communicate with suicide prevention specialists in a Web chat room, the statement said.

The national suicide hot line and Facebook have been partnering since 2006, lifeline project director John Draper said in a statement.

Google added a feature to its U.S. search engine in April 2010 that displays a picture of a red telephone and the phone number for the lifeline when people are searching for suicide-related topics. Earlier, the company launched a similar feature for a poison-control hot line after receiving an e-mail from a mother who had trouble finding the number when her daughter ingested something poisonous, a Google spokeswoman said.

"In times of crisis, it's important to try to help people by quickly providing information," the spokeswoman wrote in an e-mail. "It's a privilege for Google to be working with the NSPL and to be providing support on this important issue."

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[Alanon]

That's kind of cool, but what's next? o.O You complain of back pain, and you get the phone of a chiropractor?

-Good day, how did you find this number? -Oh, I got this here refferal from Facebook.

I fear that they will take over every facet of our lives, by the time I'm an old bugger.

[beer]

I am guessing this move is due to the growing number of crimes relating to facebook. I have come across quite a few stories where the suspect of a crime posted their motives hours or days before their extreme attempts to harm themselves or others. I think there might be times when someone wants to help but don't know how, and this simple help may be just what they need.

[CODYQX4]

I wonder how many emo statuses will incorrectly get flagged. The people behind this seem to have good intentions but I see the potential for more harm than good (this is a sign of Facebook being too powerful and invasive if they can actually accomplish this), not to mention being able to falsely report someone you don't like and watch the men in white coats take them away.

[Alanon]

Jimminy crickets, Dorothy, this ain't Cansas no more! Hell, I remember a time before Facebook... before not-so-suicidal attention hogs could get the world revolving around them. When only those truly troubled killed themselves. In reality, only a small portion of suicidal people ask for help. And the notes... are only a way of saying goodbye.

Not the Aaaaaaaaaaaah! I'm gonna kill myself! attitude of today...

[CODYQX4]

Jimminy crickets, Dorothy, this ain't Cansas no more! Hell, I remember a time before Facebook... before not-so-suicidal attention hogs could get the world revolving around them. When only those truly troubled killed themselves. In reality, only a small portion of suicidal people ask for help. And the notes... are only a way of saying goodbye.

Not the Aaaaaaaaaaaah! I'm gonna kill myself! attitude of today...

This attitude is precisely why I expect a massive flood of false positives.