Part of today’s era of analysis is combining psychology with the data and metadata we provide to expanding networks:
Facebook’s started to roll out new algorithms that’ll diagnose whether or not its users are suicidal.
And it’s not alone, here’s this other AI who can detect suicidal tendencies from brain scans.
Or this one here, with its ability to detect if someone is going to attempt suicide in the next two years and measures that accurately more than 4 out of 5 times. It gets more accurate at different time points too — if you’re into that.
There’s lots more of this software out there being developed, but Facebook definitely brings in a special spearhead into this movement because its wide use means it should bring specific advantages over the suicide prevention techniques we already have in practice. Here’re 3 of my favorites:
- Wider access to our inner workings: especially through facebook, most people deepen their profile profiles regularly to the point of standing out in ways we wouldn’t permit in regular interactions.
- Ability to provide resources: Facebook’s insane access is insane.
- The perks of a computer’s analysis being cold and relentless: AI can be really vigilant, all the time. Meanwhile, folks who can relate well to someone else experiencing suicidal ideation – trained or not – they’re commendable.
All social networking also already tracks and analyzes data ponts psychologists simply won’t have access too. (Therapists can’t always see how much time we’re spending online, or when we’re using alt accounts / looking up ex’s / former presidents / etc.)
For me, it’s just that while Facebook will now start scanning user videos for things like weapons, comments for “are you OK?” and posts for anything like “I give up” which should all very well be a good thing almost immediately-
-there’s also an idealist that wants to say a thing.
We shouldn’t forget how as people, we should always take as much constructive responsibility for human issues as much as possible. We can do that every day with how we interact, and do what we do.
Anyway, Facebook’s been developing its software for a while, and has been live-testing this globally as of last Monday.