Netflix's "13 Reasons Why" will include a warning video, and the streaming service will offer crisis resources in the second season of the controversial show about teen suicide.
The changes followed a study Netflix commissioned with Northwestern University’s Center on Media and Human Development about the show's influence on teens, The Hollywood Reporter noted.
Based on a book by Jay Asher, the show looks at the suicide of Hannah Baker, played by Katherine Langford, who left behind 13 audiotapes for her classmates, who are struggling to understand why she took her life. Launched in March 2017, the series became an instant phenomenon, drawing praise for tackling difficult topics and criticism from some who say it glorifies suicide, The Hollywood reporter said.
The results of the study, released Wednesday, found that 71 percent of teens and young adults found the show relatable and nearly three-quarters said it made them more comfortable processing difficult topics, Netflix said in a statement. Parents asked for more resources, including two-thirds requesting cast members to come out of character and discuss how to get help.
Netflix said it will do just that in custom intros at the start of each season. Other resources the streaming service will offer include view guides to help parents and teens navigate difficult conversations and a website, 13reasonswhy.info, that includes crisis text lines, websites and phone numbers. Netflix also will include an after show featuring actors, experts and educators.
The warning video, posted on YouTube, encourages teens who are struggling with difficult issues to watch the series with a trusted adult or reach out for help.
"The hope is that the steps we're taking now will help support more meaningful conversations as Season 2 rolls out later this year," Brian Wright, Netflix's vice president of original series, said in the statement. "We’ve seen in our research that teens took positive action after watching the series, and now - more than ever - we are seeing the power and compassion of this generation advocating on behalf of themselves and their peers."
Last year, the show drew criticism from educators and school mental health professionals who worried that it could increase self-harm and suicide, The Washington Post reported, noting that internet searches about suicide increased and some parents blamed the show for their children's suicides.
While the study, which involved more than 5,000 teens and parents, didn't include questions about suicidal thoughts or if the show negatively affected their mental health, it revealed that the show had a positive effect on some viewers, according to the Post.