Facebook has announced that it will take strong measures to prevent harmful content as well as create new Instagram wellness guides to help prevent suicides in pandemic time.
Facebook will be launching regional content that is specifically created to address suicide prevention and support for those who are struggling.
”In India, the Suicide Prevention India Foundation’s guide focuses on how to foster social connectedness and in Hong Kong, Samaritans HK’s guide shares ways to check in on your friends and in Nigeria, Mentally Aware Nigeria guide focus on having safe conversations about Facebook.”
– Facebook Blog Excerpts
The social media giant added that in the coming months it will be launching crisis support over chat which would help people to communicate with trained crisis and mental health support experts via messenger.
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As online learning is increasing due to pandemic spread, Facebook will be expanding online resources for educators by adding #chatsafe guidelines in Facebook’s Safety Center and resources on Instagram by partnering with Orygen, an Australian-based organization which works to provide mental health services to young people.
The #chatsafe was developed by associating with young people to give support to those who are reacting to suicide-related content posted by others or those who want to share their own experience with suicidal thoughts, feelings and behavior.
Currently, these guidelines will be available in English only with seven more languages being added by next month.
Research conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the pandemic has created a major impact on the mental health of young people, caretakers, essential workers and minorities.
One out of four young adults in the age group of 18-24 said that they have considered suicide about 30 days before this study and remarked that pandemic as a reason for it.
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