Facebook today outlined several new initiatives it has put in place to help those who may intend to harm themselves.
There is one death by suicide in the world every 40 seconds, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for 15-29 year olds. Experts say that one of the best ways to prevent suicide is for those in distress to hear from people who care about them.
The actions follow a commitment made last month by Facebook CEO mark Zuckerberg to do more to help those in need. The new options include suicide prevention tools built into Facebook Live so people can be helped in real time.
Facebook offers live chat support from crisis intervention groups, too, via Facebook Messenger. Facebook also made the process of reporting possible suicides easier with the help of artificial intelligence.
Facebook hopes the new tools, available on mobile devices and the web, will help people find help on their own, as well as allow others to intervene when needed.
