Instagram, one of people's favorite social networking platforms known worldwide has taken a noble step that got everyone talking. This online mobile photo-sharing and video-sharing service is known to let users post images and videos that express their creativity, lifestyle options and interests.
Most of the photos that can be seen in the app will be fun, beautiful and quirky but in some cases, it has become a platform for those who are crying out for help. Thus, the social network decided to tweak and add useful features to respond to these cries for help.
According to Seventeen, if a user happens to see a friend who post about suicide or self-harm, an option to report it anonymously would be there. And in the process, the reported friend will receive a message saying: "Someone saw one of your posts and thinks you might be going through a difficult time. If you need support, we'd like to help." At that point, an option to see support resources will be available and that includes calling a helpline.
"We listen to mental health experts when they tell us that outreach from a loved one can make a real difference for those who may be in distress. At the same time, we understand friends and family often want to offer support, but don't know how best to reach out," Instagram CEO Marne Levine said. 'These tools are designed to let you know that you are surrounded by a community that cares about you, at a moment when you might most need that reminder,' as reported by PC Mag.
Apart from having the option to flag friends' troubling posts, Instagram also set up a process that will lead users to the same support page once they try to search for a hashtag related to self-injury. Dangerous and suicide related hashtags are also banned from the platform. Again, Instagram has set a refreshing example on how to put influence and power to good use.
