In the wake of the growing number of suicide incidents around the world, Instagram has introduced a new tool to help people before they hurt themselves.Instagram is a well-known social application to capture and share your moments. You can follow your friends and family to see what they're up to and discover accounts from all over the world.
Instagram recently rolled out an update that aims to make the popular social media app a much safer place to dwell on, and hopefully save lives as needed. The new Instagram tool is called the Suicide Prevention Tool.
"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," said Instagram's Chief Operating Officer, Marne Levine
According to DNA, if a post of someone you know shows warning signs of an eating disorder or tendencies towards self-harm, or worse, suicide, you can report it anonymously. That person will then get a message which says, "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." That person will then get the options to choose between talking to a friend, contacting a helpline or getting tips and support.
"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," said Levine in an interview with Seventeen. "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."
Instagram's goal for launching this new tool is to make the world a better and safer place by preventing someone to do inappropriate behavior such as suicide. You can report any time of the day as long as you see the post you want to address. The flagged posts will be reviewed by a team of people who are working 24/7, and will not rely on algorithms to judge whether someone is vulnerable.
