Facebook introduced a suicide prevention feature last week, partnering with four other groups in hopes of providing support to those contemplating suicide or those concerned about a friend on the social network.
According to The Huffington Post, the feature allows Facebook friends to report any post they believe may indicate a friend is considering harming him or herself. The reporting friend will then have the option to contact the friend who made the post, contact another friend for support, or contact a suicide helpline.
"We worked with mental health organizations Forefront, Now Matters Now, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Save.org and others on these updates, in addition to consulting with people who had lived experience with
self-injury or suicide," Facebook said in a statement.
"One of the first things these organizations discussed with us was how much connecting with people who care can help those in distress," the social network continued. "If someone on Facebook sees a direct threat of suicide, we ask that they contact their local emergency services immediately. We also ask them to report any troubling content to us. We have teams working around the world, 24/7, who review any report that comes in. They prioritize the most serious reports, like self-injury, and send help and resources to those in distress."
Researchers with the University of Washington's Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention worked with Facebook to
update the feature, wrote UW Today. Edwina Uehara, dean of the university's social work department, green lighted the project.
"We are very proud of Forefront and excited about the difference that the Facebook-Forefront partnership can make for millions of people who struggle with thoughts of suicide," Uehara told UW Today.
"The partnership reflects the UW School of Social Work's core aims: to harness all the empirical knowledge, imagination, and skill at our command to solve seemingly intractable societal problems, in partnership with others committed to the task."
Forefront researchers told UW Today that the Facebook tool will provide resources and alternatives to people thinking of harming themselves but will also help their friends and family members who are often not equipped to handle the needs of someone contemplating suicide.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.