Facebook launches new products to offer increased support to prevent suicide and self-harm

By Antigone Davis, Global Head of Safety and Jennifer Guadagno, Researcher at Facebook

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 15, 2016/ -- Today we're updating the resources we offer to people around the world who may be experiencing self-injury or suicidal thoughts, as well as the support we offer to their concerned friends and family members. Developed in collaboration with mental health organizations and with the input from people who have personal experience with self-injury and suicide, these tools first launched in the US with the help of Forefront, Lifeline, and Save.org (http://Save.org). Today, we are rolling them out around the world in collaboration with local partners and in all languages Facebook (www.Facebook.com) is available in. Now, with the help of these new tools, if someone posts something on Facebook that makes you concerned about their well-being, you can reach out to them directly — and you also can also report the post to us. We have teams working around the world, 24/7, who review reports that come in. They prioritize the most serious reports like self-injury. And, as of today, the resources we send to the person who posted something concerning will include an expanded set of options. People can now choose to reach out to a friend, contact a helpline, or see tips. If you or someone you know is in crisis, it is important to call local emergency services right away. You can also visit our Help Centre for information about how to support yourself or a friend: https://www.Facebook.com/help/594991777257121/. You can view this video, created by Save.org and Lifeline titled “From Reporting to Supporting: Using Facebook to Support Someone in Suicidal Crisis” - https://Vimeo.com/160565004. Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Facebook.