Social media and suicide

{{Cleanup|date=November 2020|reason=incorrect citations and information that appears to either be copy-pasted, inaccurate, or outdated.}}

Since the rise of social media, there have been numerous cases of individuals being influenced towards committing suicide or self-harm through their use of social media, and even of individuals arranging to broadcast suicide attempts, some successful, on social media. Researchers have studied social media and suicide to determine what, if any, risks social media poses in terms of suicide, and to identify methods of mitigating such risks, if they exist. The search for a correlation has not yet uncovered a clear answer.

Background

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide,{{Cite web |title=SOS helplines for parents and children – essential services for preventing suicides |url=https://www.unicef.org/montenegro/en/stories/sos-helplines-parents-and-children-essential-services-preventing-suicides |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=www.unicef.org |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=17 June 2021 |title=One in 100 deaths is by suicide |work=World Health Organization |url=https://www.who.int/news/item/17-06-2021-one-in-100-deaths-is-by-suicide}} and as of 2020, the second leading cause of death in the United States for those aged 15–34.{{Cite web|date=11 May 2021|title=Mortality in the United States, 2019|url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db395.htm|url-status=live|access-date=25 March 2021|archive-date=21 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321013812/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db395.htm}}{{Cite web|title=NIMH » Suicide|url=https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml|access-date=2021-03-18|website=www.nimh.nih.gov|archive-date=2018-01-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117064001/https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml|url-status=live}} According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was the third leading cause of death among adolescents in the US, from 1999 to 2006.{{cite web | title=Mortality Among Teenagers Aged 12-19 Years: United States, 1999-2006 | website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | date=May 5, 2010 | url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db37.htm | access-date=August 1, 2023 | archive-date=June 28, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628112558/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db37.htm | url-status=live }}

In 2020, people in the US had a suicide rate of 13.5 per 100,000.{{Cite web |title=Social Media & Suicide |url=https://socialmediavictims.org/mental-health/suicide/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Social Media Victims Law Center |archive-date=2023-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303200716/https://socialmediavictims.org/mental-health/suicide/ |url-status=live }} Suicide was a leading cause of death in the United States accounting for 48,183 deaths in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title=Facts About Suicide |url=https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=www.cdc.gov |language=en-us |archive-date=2022-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107040758/https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html |url-status=live }} Suicide rates increased by 30 per cent from 2000-2018 and declined in 2019 and 2020.

Suicide remains a significant public health issue worldwide, despite prevention efforts and treatments.{{cite book |doi=10.4324/9781351295246 |title=Media and Suicide |date=2017 |isbn=978-1-351-29523-9 |url=https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/1859292 |editor-last1=Niederkrotenthaler |editor-last2=Stack |editor-first1=Thomas |editor-first2=Steven }}{{pn|date=January 2025}} Suicide has been identified not only as an individual phenomenon but also as being influenced by social and environmental factors.{{Cite journal |last1=Gvion |first1=Yari |last2=Apter |first2=Alan |date=December 2012 |title=Suicide and Suicidal Behavior |journal=Public Health Reviews |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=9 |doi=10.1007/BF03391677 |doi-access=free}} There is growing evidence that online activity has influenced suicide-related behavior.{{cite journal |last1=Luxton |first1=David D. |last2=June |first2=Jennifer D. |last3=Fairall |first3=Jonathan M. |title=Social media and suicide: a public health perspective |journal=American Journal of Public Health |date=May 2012 |volume=102 |issue=Suppl 2 |pages=S195–200 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.2011.300608 |pmid=22401525 |pmc=3477910 }} The use of social media throughout the 21st century has grown exponentially. For this reason, there are a variety of sources that are accessible to the public in various forms, especially social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok and many more. Although these platforms were intended to allow people to connect virtually, these platforms can lead to cyber-bullying, insecurity, and emotional distress, and sometimes may influence a person to attempt suicide.

Bullying, whether on social media or elsewhere, physical or not, significantly increases victims' risk of suicidal behavior.{{Cite journal|last1=Hertz|first1=Marci Feldman|last2=Donato|first2=Ingrid|last3=Wright|first3=James|date=July 2013|title=Bullying and Suicide: A Public Health Approach|journal=Journal of Adolescent Health|volume=53|issue=1|pages=S1–S3|doi=10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.05.002 |pmc=4721504|pmid=23790194}}{{Cite journal|last1=Hinduja|first1=Sameer|last2=Patchin|first2=Justin W.|date=2010-07-28|title=Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide|journal=Archives of Suicide Research|language=en|volume=14|issue=3|pages=206–221|doi=10.1080/13811118.2010.494133|pmid=20658375 }} Since social media was introduced some people have taken their lives as a result of cyberbullying.{{Cite web|date=2017-08-29|title=The first social media suicide|url=http://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/aug/29/the-first-social-media-suicide|access-date=2021-03-25|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517153219/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/aug/29/the-first-social-media-suicide|url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine|title=Dead Teen's Mother Testifies about Daughter's Vulnerability in MySpace Suicide Case -- Update|language=en-us|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/2008/11/lori-drew-pla-1/|access-date=2021-04-08 }} Furthermore, suicide rates among teenagers have increased from 2010 to 2022 as social media has become something that people interact with more throughout their day-to-day lives.{{cite journal |last1=Curtin |first1=Sally C. |title=State Suicide Rates Among Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 10-24: United States, 2000-2018 |journal=National Vital Statistics Reports: From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System |date=September 2020 |volume=69 |issue=11 |pages=1–10 |pmid=33054915 |url=https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/93667 }}

Media algorithms tend to popularize videos and posts to inform the country of the rising trouble, which may create a popular appeal to the young and immature minds of teenagers. This is why, social media could provide higher risks with the promotion of different kinds of pro-suicidal sites, message boards, chat rooms, and forums.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-11|title=How to Use Teen Chat Rooms Safely?|url=https://808teens.com/blog/how-to-use-teen-chat-rooms-safely/|access-date=2021-09-29|website=Teen Chat Blog - 808Teens|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929145146/https://808teens.com/blog/how-to-use-teen-chat-rooms-safely/|url-status=live}} Moreover, the Internet not only reports suicide incidents but documents suicide methods (for example, suicide pacts, an agreement between two or more people to kill themselves at a particular time and often by the same lethal means). Therefore, the role the Internet plays, particularly social media, in suicide-related behavior is a topic of growing interest.

Cyberbullying

There is substantial evidence that the Internet and social media can influence suicide-related behavior.{{Cite journal |last1=Sedgwick |first1=Rosemary |last2=Epstein |first2=Sophie |last3=Dutta |first3=Rina |last4=Ougrin |first4=Dennis |date=November 2019 |title=Social media, internet use and suicide attempts in adolescents |journal=Current Opinion in Psychiatry |volume=32 |issue=6 |pages=534–541 |doi=10.1097/YCO.0000000000000547 |pmc=6791504 |pmid=31306245}} Such evidence includes an increase in exposure to graphic content. A research study conducted by Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin found a correlation between cyberbullying and suicide.{{cite journal |last1=Hinduja |first1=Sameer |last2=Patchin |first2=Justin W. |title=Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide |journal=Archives of Suicide Research |date=28 July 2010 |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=206–221 |doi=10.1080/13811118.2010.494133 |pmid=20658375 }} According to their findings, cyber-bullying increases suicidal thoughts by 14.5 percent and suicide attempts by 8.7 percent.{{cite journal |last1=Nikolaou |first1=Dimitrios |title=Does cyberbullying impact youth suicidal behaviors? |journal=Journal of Health Economics |date=December 2017 |volume=56 |pages=30–46 |doi=10.1016/j.jhealeco.2017.09.009 |pmid=28968528 }} Particularly alarming is the fact that children and young people under 25 who are victims of cyberbullying are more than twice as likely to self-harm and engage in suicidal behavior.{{cite press release |title=Young victims of cyberbullying twice as likely to attempt suicide and self-harm, study finds |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180419130923.htm |work=ScienceDaily |publisher=Swansea University |date=19 April 2018 }} Overall, teen suicide rates have increased within the past decade.This presents a significant public health concern, with over 40,000 suicides in the United States and nearly one million worldwide annually.{{Cite web|title=Cyberbullying Statistics and Facts for 2020|url=https://www.comparitech.com/internet-providers/cyberbullying-statistics/|access-date=2020-12-07|website=Comparitech|date=13 May 2018 |language=en-US|archive-date=2023-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801222734/https://www.comparitech.com/internet-providers/cyberbullying-statistics/|url-status=live}}

Adolescents involved in cyberbullying often downplay its seriousness by calling it a joke or blaming the victim. These moral disengagement strategies can normalize harmful behavior and reduce feelings of guilt. This normalization may increase emotional distress and contribute to risks like depression and suicidal thoughts. {{Cite journal |last1=Francisco |first1=Sofia M. |first2=Ferreira ,Paula C. |last3=and Veiga Simão |first3=Ana M. |date=2022-12-31 |title=Behind the scenes of cyberbullying: personal and normative beliefs across profiles and moral disengagement mechanisms |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673843.2022.2095215 |journal=International Journal of Adolescence and Youth |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=337–361 |doi=10.1080/02673843.2022.2095215 |issn=0267-3843|hdl=10451/62575 |hdl-access=free }}

Recent data{{when|date=March 2025}} from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that 14.9 per cent of teenagers have experienced online bullying, while 13.6 per cent of teenagers have seriously attempted suicide. Both of these incidents are in increasing numbers in the United States. Furthermore, in numerous recent incidents, cyber-bullying led the victim to commit suicide; this phenomenon is now known as cyberbullicide. Many parents and children are unaware of the dangers and potential legal consequences of cyberbullying. As a response, anti-bullying regulations implemented by schools aim to prevent any form of bullying, including through technology, and protect students from online harassment. While some states have enacted laws against cyberbullying, there are currently no federal regulations addressing this issue.{{cite journal |last1=Schonfeld |first1=Ariel |last2=McNiel |first2=Dale |last3=Toyoshima |first3=Takeo |last4=Binder |first4=Renée |title=Cyberbullying and Adolescent Suicide |journal=The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law |date=March 2023 |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=112–119 |doi=10.29158/JAAPL.220078-22 |doi-broken-date=1 July 2025 |pmid=36822834 |url=https://jaapl.org/lookup/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=36822834 }}

Social media's influence on suicide

The media may portray suicidal behavior or language which can potentially influence people to act on these suicidal ideation.{{cite web |last1=Greenstein |first1=Luna |title=Why Suicide Reporting Guidelines Matter |url=https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/June-2018/Why-Suicide-Reporting-Guidelines-Matter |access-date=30 May 2021 |date=15 July 2018 |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215001/https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/June-2018/Why-Suicide-Reporting-Guidelines-Matter |url-status=live }}{{Cite journal |last1=Pirkis |first1=Jane |last2=Blood |first2=Richard Warwick |last3=Beautrais |first3=Annette L |last4=Burgess |first4=Philip Michael |last5=Skehan |first5=Jaelea |date=2006 |title=Media Guidelines on the Reporting of Suicide |url=https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/0227-5910/a000137 |journal=Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention |language=en |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=190–198 |doi=10.1027/0227-5910/a000137 |issn=0227-5910 |pmid=22713977}}{{cite journal |last1=Duncan |first1=Sally-Anne |last2=Luce |first2=Ann |title=Using the Responsible Suicide Reporting Model to increase adherence to global media reporting guidelines |journal=Journalism |date=2020 |volume=1 |issue=5 |pages=1132–1148 |doi=10.1177/1464884920952685 |doi-access=free }} This may include news reports of actual suicides that have occurred or television shows and films that reenact suicides.

Some organizations have proposed guidelines about how the media should report suicide.{{cite web |title=Samaritans' media guidelines |url=https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/media-guidelines |publisher=The Samaritans |access-date=30 May 2021 |archive-date=30 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210530074538/https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/media-guidelines/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Guidance on reporting suicide |url=https://www.ipso.co.uk/member-publishers/guidance-for-journalists-and-editors/guidance-on-reporting-suicide/ |publisher=The Independent Press Standards Organisation |access-date=30 May 2021 |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212656/https://www.ipso.co.uk/member-publishers/guidance-for-journalists-and-editors/guidance-on-reporting-suicide/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite journal|last1=Sedgwick|first1=Rosemary|last2=Epstein|first2=Sophie|last3=Dutta|first3=Rina|last4=Ougrin|first4=Dennis|date=November 2019|title=Social media, internet use and suicide attempts in adolescents|journal=Current Opinion in Psychiatry|volume=32|issue=6|pages=534–541|doi=10.1097/YCO.0000000000000547 |pmc=6791504|pmid=31306245}} There is evidence that compliance with the guidelines varies.{{cite news |last1=Kunova |first1=Marcela |title=New online tool helps journalists report on suicide ethically |url=https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/new-online-tool-to-help-journalists-report-on-suicide-ethically/s2/a761420 |access-date=30 May 2021 |work=Journalism |date=22 September 2020 |archive-date=7 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507072805/https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/new-online-tool-to-help-journalists-report-on-suicide-ethically/s2/a761420/ |url-status=live }} Some research showed that it is unclear whether the guidelines have successfully reduced the number of suicides. On the contrary, other research studies stated that the guidelines have worked in some cases.{{cite journal | last1=Bohanna | first1=India | last2=Wang | first2=Xiangdong | title=Media guidelines for the responsible reporting of suicide: a review of effectiveness | journal=Crisis | volume=33 | issue=4 | date=2012 | issn=2151-2396 | pmid=22713977 | doi=10.1027/0227-5910/a000137 | pages=190–198 | url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22713977 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Sumner |first1=Steven A. |last2=Burke |first2=Moira |last3=Kooti |first3=Farshad |date=2020-07-14 |title=Adherence to suicide reporting guidelines by news shared on a social networking platform |url=https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/117/28/16267.full.pdf |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=117 |issue=28 |pages=16267–16272 |bibcode=2020PNAS..11716267S |doi=10.1073/pnas.2001230117 |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=7368318 |pmid=32631982 |doi-access=free}}

Impact of pro-suicidal sites, message boards, chat rooms and forums

Social media platforms have transformed traditional methods of communication by allowing instantaneous and interactive sharing of information created and controlled by individuals, groups, organizations, and governments. As of the third quarter of 2022, Facebook had 266 million monthly active users, between Canada and the US.{{Cite web |title=Facebook: North America MAU 2022 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/247614/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Statista |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212164533/https://www.statista.com/statistics/247614/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/ |url-status=live }} An immense quantity of information on the topic of suicide is available on the Internet and via social media. The information available on social media on the topic of suicide can influence suicidal behavior, both negatively and positively.

The social cognitive theory plays a vital role in suicide attempts influenced through social media. This theory is demonstrated when one is influenced by what they see through various processes that form into modeled behaviors.{{fact|date=January 2025}} This can be shown when people post their suicide attempts online or promote suicidal behavior in general.

Contributors to these social media platforms may also exert peer pressure{{Cite web |date=2022-01-12 |title=The Impact of Social Media on Peer Pressure in Adolescents |url=https://youthmedicaljournal.org/2022/01/12/the-impact-of-social-media-on-peer-pressure-in-adolescents/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Youth Medical Journal |language=en |archive-date=2023-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123053046/https://youthmedicaljournal.org/2022/01/12/the-impact-of-social-media-on-peer-pressure-in-adolescents/ |url-status=usurped }} and encourage others to take their own lives, idolize those who have killed themselves, and facilitate suicide pacts. These pro-suicidal sites reported the following. For example, on a Japanese message board in 2008, it was shared that people can kill themselves using hydrogen sulfide gas. Shortly afterwards, 220 people attempted suicide in this way, and 208 were successful.{{cite journal |last1=Luxton |first1=David D. |last2=June |first2=Jennifer D. |last3=Fairall |first3=Jonathan M. |title=Social Media and Suicide: A Public Health Perspective |journal=American Journal of Public Health |date=May 2012 |volume=102 |issue=S2 |pages=S195–S200 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.2011.300608 |pmid=22401525 |pmc=3477910 }} Biddle et al.{{cite journal |last1=Biddle |first1=Lucy |last2=Donovan |first2=Jenny |last3=Hawton |first3=Keith |last4=Kapur |first4=Navneet |last5=Gunnell |first5=David |title=Suicide and the internet |journal=BMJ |date=12 April 2008 |volume=336 |issue=7648 |pages=800–802 |doi=10.1136/bmj.39525.442674.AD |pmid=18403541 |pmc=2292278 }} conducted a systematic Web search of 12 suicide-associated terms (e.g., suicide, suicide methods, how to kill yourself, and best suicide methods) to analyze the search results, and found that pro-suicide sites and chat rooms that discussed general issues associated with suicide most often occurred within the first few hits of a search.{{Cite journal |last1=Recupero |first1=Patricia R. |last2=Harms |first2=Samara E. |last3=Noble |first3=Jeffrey M. |date=2008-06-15 |title=Googling suicide: surfing for suicide information on the Internet |url=https://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/googling-suicide-surfing-suicide-information-internet |journal=The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry |volume=69 |issue=6 |pages=878–88 |doi=10.4088/jcp.v69n0601 |issn=0160-6689 |pmid=18494533}} In another study, 373 suicide-related websites were found using Internet search engines and examined. Among them, 31% were suicide-neutral, 29% were anti-suicide, and 11% were pro-suicide. Together, these studies have shown that obtaining pro-suicide information on the Internet, including detailed information on suicide methods, is very easy.

While social media has been prevalent in young adult suicide, some young adults find comfort and solace through these platforms. Young adults are making connections with people in like situations that are helping them feel less lonely.{{cite journal |last1=Robinson |first1=Jo |last2=Rodrigues |first2=Maria |last3=Fisher |first3=Steve |last4=Bailey |first4=Eleanor |last5=Herrman |first5=Helen |title=Social media and suicide prevention: findings from a stakeholder survey |journal=Shanghai Archives of Psychiatry |date=25 February 2015 |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=27–35 |pmid=25852253 |pmc=4372758 }} Although the public opinion is that message boards are harmful, the following studies show how they point to suicide prevention and have positive influences. A study using content analysis analyzed all of the postings on the AOL Suicide Bulletin Board over 11 months and concluded that most contributions contained positive, empathetic, and supportive postings.{{Cite journal|last=Eichenberg|first=Christiane|date=February 2008|title=Internet Message Boards for Suicidal People: A Typology of Users|journal=CyberPsychology & Behavior|language=en|volume=11|issue=1|pages=107–113|doi=10.1089/cpb.2007.9924|pmid=18275323 }} Then, a multi-method study was able to demonstrate that the users of such forums experience a great deal of social support and only a small amount of social strain. Lastly, in the survey participants were asked to assess the extent of their suicidal thoughts on a 7-level scale (0, absolutely no suicidal thoughts, to 7, very strong suicidal thoughts) for the time directly before their first forum visit and at the time of the survey. The study found a significant reduction after using the forum. The study however cannot conclude the forum is the only reason for the decrease. Together, these studies show how forums can reduce the number of suicides.

An example of how social media can play a role in suicide is that of a male adolescent who arrived at the emergency department with his parents after suspected medication ingestion in which he attempted to overdose. Beforehand, he had sent an ex-girlfriend a Snapchat picture of himself holding a bottle of acetaminophen, which was forwarded to the young male's parents. This picture was used by medical experts to establish the time of his ingestion; oral N-acetylcysteine was administered and he was brought to a pediatric care facility, where he had a stable recovery and psychiatric evaluation.{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.05.031|pmid=27666358|title=Snapchat Toxicology: Social Media and Suicide|journal=Annals of Emergency Medicine|volume=68|issue=4|pages=527|year=2016|last1=Chhabra|first1=Neeraj|last2=Bryant|first2=Sean M.|doi-access=free}}

In 2013, the main cause of nine teen suicides was due to hateful anonymous messages on Ask.fm.{{cite news |last1=Edwards |first1=Jim |title=Users On This Web Site Have Successfully Driven Nine Teenagers To Kill Themselves |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/users-successfully-hounded-nine-teenagers-214349869.html |work=Yahoo! Finance |agency=Business Insider |date=16 September 2013 }}

Cyberbullying and suicide

Cyberbullying has received considerable attention as a possible cause of suicide.{{cite journal |last1=Görzig |first1=Anke |title=Adolescents' Viewing of Suicide-Related Web Content and Psychological Problems: Differentiating the Roles of Cyberbullying Involvement |journal=Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking |date=August 2016 |volume=19 |issue=8 |pages=502–509 |doi=10.1089/cyber.2015.0419 |pmid=27448043 |url=http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/67881/1/Gorzig_Adolescents%E2%80%99%20viewing_2016.pdf }} With the rise of social media, the risk of falling victim to blackmail has also increased.{{cite web |last1=Shetty |first1=Saachin |title=HOW TO REPORT BLACKMAIL ON SNAPCHAT |url=https://answerbob.com/how-to-report-blackmail-on-snapchat/ |website=answerbob.com |date=25 June 2023 |publisher=Saachin |access-date=10 July 2023 |archive-date=10 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710095415/https://answerbob.com/how-to-report-blackmail-on-snapchat/ |url-status=live }} It has been deemed a major health concern for affected teens and a major health threat to those affected by the psychological trauma inflicted by perpetrators on social media.{{Cite journal|last=Bering|first=Jesse|title=Web of Despair.|url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=132528969&site=ehost-live&scope=site.|journal=Psychology Today|volume=51|issue=6|pages=80–88|via=EBSCOhost|access-date=2019-03-24|archive-date=2023-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801222738/https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=132528969&site=ehost-live&scope=site.|url-status=live}}{{date missing}} While there isn't one Federal Law that is specific to cyberbullying, 48 states have laws against cyberbullying or online harassment with 44 of those states having criminal sanctions within the laws. Many states have enhanced their harassment laws to include online harassment.{{Cite web|title=Bullying and Cyberbullying Laws Across America|url=http://cyberbullying.org/bullying-laws|access-date=2021-04-11|website=Cyberbullying Research Center|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412043748/https://cyberbullying.org/bullying-laws|url-status=live}} Criminal harassment statutes often provide a basis for bringing charges in severe cases, and more serious criminal charges have been brought in cases where evidence indicates a resultant suicide or other tragic consequences. Civil remedies have been sought in many cases where criminal liability was difficult to prove.{{cite web|url=https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/cyber-bullying.html|title=Cyberbullying Laws|website=Findlaw|accessdate=8 March 2019|archive-date=31 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831175637/https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/cyber-bullying.html|url-status=live}}

In 2006, 13 year old Megan Meier hanged herself in her bedroom closet following a series of MySpace messages that came from a friend's mother and her 18 year old associate, who posed as a 16 year old boy named "Josh Evans" and encouraged Megan to commit suicide. The mother, Lori Drew, faced federal conspiracy charges related to computer fraud and abuse (see United States v. Drew), but was later acquitted.{{fact|date=January 2025}}

In 2012, Canadian high school student Amanda Todd hanged herself after being blackmailed by a stalker,{{cite web |last1=McGuire |first1=Patrick |title=A Jailbait Loving Perv Destroyed Amanda Todd's Life |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/a-jailbait-loving-perv-destroyed-amanda-todds-life/ |website=Vice News |access-date=15 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621234909/https://www.vice.com/en/article/4wq5qq/a-jailbait-loving-perv-destroyed-amanda-todds-life |archive-date=21 June 2021 |url-status=live |date=15 October 2012}} and suffering from repeated cyberbullying and harassment at school.{{cite web |last1=Grenoble |first1=Ryan |title=Amanda Todd: Bullied Canadian Teen Commits Suicide After Prolonged Battle Online And In School |website=HuffPost |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/10/11/amanda-todd-suicide-bullying_n_1959909.html |access-date=15 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922164201/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/10/11/amanda-todd-suicide-bullying_n_1959909.html |archive-date=22 September 2018 |date=12 October 2012}} On September 7, Todd posted a 9-minute YouTube video titled My story: Struggling, bullying, suicide, self-harm, which showed her using a series of flashcards to tell of her experiences being bullied.{{YouTube|vOHXGNx-E7E|My story: Struggling, bullying, suicide, self-harm}}, 7 September 2012, Retrieved 18 April 2014. The video went viral after her death on October 10, 2012, receiving over 1,600,000 views by October 13, 2012,{{cite web |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/tormenters-target-b-c-teen-amanda-todd-s-online-memorials-1.994594 |title=Online bullying of B.C. teen continues amid police probe |work=Ctvnews.ca |date=October 13, 2012 |access-date=October 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713125954/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/tormenters-target-amanda-todd-s-online-memorials-amid-police-probe-1.994594 |archive-date=July 13, 2019 |url-status=live }} with news websites from around the world linking to it.{{cite magazine |last1=Dean |first1=Michelle |title=The Story of Amanda Todd |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-story-of-amanda-todd |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=15 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120224307/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-story-of-amanda-todd |archive-date=20 January 2022 |date=18 October 2012}}

In 2014, Conrad Roy killed himself after exchanging numerous text messages with Michelle Carter, his long-distance girlfriend, who repeatedly encouraged him to commit suicide. She was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Carter was released in January 2020.{{cite web |last1=Nashrulla |first1=Tasneem |title=Michelle Carter, Who Encouraged Her Boyfriend To Kill Himself, Was Released From Prison Early |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/michelle-carter-prison-release-texting-suicide |website=BuzzFeed News |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413175311/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/michelle-carter-prison-release-texting-suicide |archive-date=13 April 2022 |date=23 January 2020 |quote=Carter ... was released from the women's center at the Bristol County House of Corrections after serving only around 11 months of her 15-month prison sentence. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2017 for the death of 18-year-old Conrad Roy in a headline-grabbing case that caught the world's attention ... In February 2012, Carter, and Roy began a long-distance relationship through texts and phone calls. In 2014, Carter, who was 17 at the time, sent Roy a series of text messages over a two-week period encouraging him to kill himself and berating him whenever he expressed hesitation, prosecutors said during her trial. Carter asked Roy when he was going to kill himself more than 40 times, prosecutors said.}}

Sadie Riggs, a Pennsylvania teen, killed herself in 2015 allegedly because of online bullying and harassment at school on her appearance. Sadie's aunt, Sarah Smith, contacted various social media companies, police, and Sadie's school in hopes to make the bullying stop. In desperation, Smith went as far as to break Sadie's phone, in her presence, in an attempt to stop the bullying. No charges were ever filed against any alleged suspect.{{cite news |last1=Chuck |first1=Elizabeth |title=Plight of the 'screenager': Is social media taking a deadly toll on teens? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/social-media-contributing-rising-teen-suicide-rate-n812426 |work=NBC News |date=22 October 2017 }}

In 2016, Chien Chih-cheng, a Taiwanese animal shelter director, committed suicide after appearing in a television program about animal euthanasia. Chien, an animal lover, was charged with euthanizing stray pets as a result of overcrowding in Taiwan's shelters. After appearing on the program, she was branded as an "executioner" and "female butcher", and she and the shelter she operated were subject to intense cyberbullying and abuse. She later died by injecting herself with the same substance she used to euthanize pets, leaving a note communicating that "all lives are equal".{{cite news |title=The vet who 'euthanised' herself in Taiwan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36573395 |work=BBC News |date=2 February 2017 }}

In a 2018 Florida case, two preteens were arrested and charged with cyberstalking after they were accused of cyberbullying another female middle school student, 12 year old Gabriella Green. Online rumors were spread about her, and she hanged herself immediately after a call with one of the abusers, who told her that "If you're going to do it, just do it" and ended the call, according to police.{{cite web |last1=Dearen |first1=Jason |title=Pre-Teens Arrested for Cyberbullying Before Girl's Suicide |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida/articles/2018-01-23/2-12-year-olds-charged-with-cyberstalking-in-girls-suicide |website=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407095807/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida/articles/2018-01-23/2-12-year-olds-charged-with-cyberstalking-in-girls-suicide |archive-date=7 April 2022 |date=23 January 2018 |quote=Two 12-year-olds in Florida were arrested for cyberbullying in connection with the death of a middle-school student who police say hanged herself two weeks ago. The circumstances around the death of 12-year-old Gabriella Green on January 10 led to the arrests of the two Surfside Middle School students, Panama City Beach officials said in a news release Monday. Police did not release the names of the two children who were arrested because they are minors.}}

In 2019, Canadian Inuk pop singer Kelly Fraser, who was most popular for her Inuktitut language covers of pop songs, was found dead in her home near Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her death was ruled a suicide, which Fraser's family attributed to "childhood traumas, racism, and persistent cyberbullying."{{cite web |last1=Elliot |first1=Josh K. |title=Inuk singer Kelly Fraser died by suicide amid 'hard' fight with PTSD, family says |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6347384/kelly-fraser-cause-of-death-suicide/ |website=Global News |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130020335/https://globalnews.ca/news/6347384/kelly-fraser-cause-of-death-suicide/ |archive-date=30 January 2022 |date=30 December 2019 |quote=Fraser was an acclaimed singer-songwriter who blended English and Inuktitut in her pop and hip hop-inspired songs. She was born in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, and launched her singing career in 2013 with an Inuktitut-language version of Rihanna's Diamonds, followed by her debut album Isuma the next year. Her Diamonds video has been watched more than 300,000 times since her death ... Fraser died while working on her next album, Decolonize. She had hoped to raise $60,000 through a Kickstarter campaign to fund the album, which would have been recorded in early 2020.}}

Austrian doctor Lisa-Maria Kellermayr committed suicide in 2022 after a tweet she made criticizing opponents to Covid measures caused her to become a target of death threats, intimidation and abuse.{{Cite news |last=Connolly |first=Kate |date=2022-08-02 |title=Austrian doctors speak out after suicide of GP following Covid threats |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/02/austria-doctors-demand-more-protection-lisa-maria-kellermayr-death |access-date=2024-08-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB }}

Media contagion effect

Suicide contagion can be viewed within the larger context of behavioral contagion, which has been described as a situation in which the same behavior spreads quickly and spontaneously through a group. Suicide contagion refers to the phenomenon of indirect exposure to suicide or suicidal behaviors influencing others to attempt to kill themselves.{{cite news |last1=Patel |first1=Sima |title=Suicide contagion: What we know and what we don't |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Health/suicide-contagion/story?id=55751220 |work=ABC News |date=8 June 2018 }} The Persons most susceptible to suicide contagions are those under 25 years of age.{{cite journal |last1=Cox |first1=Georgina R. |last2=Robinson |first2=Jo |last3=Williamson |first3=Michelle |last4=Lockley |first4=Anne |last5=Cheung |first5=Yee Tak Derek |last6=Pirkis |first6=Jane |title=Suicide Clusters in Young People: Evidence for the Effectiveness of Postvention Strategies |journal=Crisis |date=July 2012 |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=208–214 |doi=10.1027/0227-5910/a000144 |pmid=22713976 |hdl=11343/58495 }} Media coverage of suicides has been shown to significantly increase the rate of suicide, and the magnitude of the increase is related to the amount, duration, and prominence of coverage.{{cite book |last1=Goldsmith |first1=Sara K |chapter=Suicide Contagion |pages=8–10 |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223839/ |title=Suicide Prevention and Intervention: Summary of a Workshop |date=2001 |publisher=National Academies Press |isbn=978-0-309-07624-1 }}

A study in 2011 by Dunlop et al.{{cite journal |last1=Dunlop |first1=Sally M. |last2=More |first2=Eian |last3=Romer |first3=Daniel |title=Where do youth learn about suicides on the Internet, and what influence does this have on suicidal ideation?: Influence of the Internet on suicidal ideation |journal=Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry |date=October 2011 |volume=52 |issue=10 |pages=1073–1080 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02416.x |pmid=21658185 }} specifically examined possible contagion effects on suicidal behavior via the Internet and social media. Of 719 individuals aged 14 to 24 years, 79% reported being exposed to suicide-related content through family, friends, and traditional news media such as newspapers, and 59% found such content through Internet sources. This information may pose a hazard for vulnerable groups by influencing decisions to die by suicide. In particular, interactions via chat rooms or discussion forums may foster peer pressure to die by suicide, encourage users to idolize those who have died by suicide, or facilitate suicide pacts. Recently{{when|date=March 2025}} there has been a trend in creating memorial social media pages in honor of a deceased person. In New Zealand, a memorial page was made after a person died by suicide, this resulted in the suicide of eight other persons thereafter, which further shows the power of the media contagion effect.{{cite journal |last1=Robertson |first1=Lindsay |last2=Skegg |first2=Keren |last3=Poore |first3=Marion |last4=Williams |first4=Sheila |last5=Taylor |first5=Barry |title=An Adolescent Suicide Cluster and the Possible Role of Electronic Communication Technology |journal=Crisis |date=July 2012 |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=239–245 |doi=10.1027/0227-5910/a000140 |pmid=22562859 }} One South Korean study demonstrated that social media data can be used to predict national suicide numbers.{{cite journal |last1=Won |first1=Hong-Hee |last2=Myung |first2=Woojae |last3=Song |first3=Gil-Young |last4=Lee |first4=Won-Hee |last5=Kim |first5=Jong-Won |last6=Carroll |first6=Bernard J. |last7=Kim |first7=Doh Kwan |title=Predicting National Suicide Numbers with Social Media Data |journal=PLOS ONE |date=22 April 2013 |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=e61809 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0061809 |doi-access=free |pmid=23630615 |pmc=3632511 |bibcode=2013PLoSO...861809W }}

Suicide notes

It has generally been found that those who post suicide notes online tend to not receive help.{{cite web | last=Sandler | first=Elana Premack | title=Can Social Media Help Prevent Suicide? | website=Psychology Today | date=2009-04-06 | url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/promoting-hope-preventing-suicide/200904/can-social-media-help-prevent-suicide }}

Several notable cases support this argument:

Kevin Whitrick and Abraham K. Biggs webcast both of their suicides. "I am going to leave this for whoever stumbles across my bookmarks later on."
Paul Zolezzi indicated via a Facebook update his intent to commit suicide.{{cite web | last1=Gendar | first1=Alison | last2=Connor | first2=Tracy | title=Facebook status update becomes suicide note for aspiring Brooklyn model, actor Paul Zolezzi | website=nydailynews.com | date=2009-02-20 | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/02/20/2009-02-20_facebook_status_update_becomes_suicide_n.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302235655/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/02/20/2009-02-20_facebook_status_update_becomes_suicide_n.html | archive-date=2009-03-02 | url-status=dead }}
In 2010, John Patrick Bedell left a Wikipedia user page and YouTube videos interpreted by some as a suicide note; the former was deleted by Wikipedia administrators.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Carlin |title=John Patrick Bedell: Rants on Wikipedia and YouTube May Have Foreshadowed Breakdown |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-patrick-bedell-rants-on-wikipedia-and-youtube-may-have-foreshadowed-breakdown/ |work=CBS News |date=5 March 2010 }}
Joe Stack also posted a suicide note online.{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=Neil |title=Joe Stack Suicide Note Full Text: 'American Zombies Wake Up and Revolt' |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-stack-suicide-note-full-text-american-zombies-wake-up-and-revolt/ |work=CBS News |date=18 February 2010 }}
Chris McKinstry, an AI researcher, died by suicide after posting a note to both his blog and the Joel on Software off-topic forum explaining the reasons for his demise.
A girl who attended a Louisville-area high school posted a video suicide note and then killed herself in 2014. The girl did not receive any help prior to her suicide, leading H. Eric Sparks, director of the American School Counselor Association, to say that troubled students should be directed to help hotlines or to trusted authorities to seek intervention as quickly as possible.{{cite journal |last1=Herold |first1=Benjamin |title=Louisville Suicide Highlights Role of Social Media in Schools' Crisis-Response Efforts |journal=Education Week |volume=33 |issue=29 |date=16 April 2014 |page=14 |url=https://www.edweek.org/technology/louisville-suicide-highlights-role-of-social-media-in-schools-crisis-response-efforts/2014/04 |access-date=20 March 2021 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125145947/https://www.edweek.org/technology/louisville-suicide-highlights-role-of-social-media-in-schools-crisis-response-efforts/2014/04 |url-status=live }}

Suicide pacts

A suicide pact is an agreement between two or more people to die by suicide at a particular time and often by the same lethal means.{{cite journal |last1=Rajagopal |first1=Sundararajan |title=Suicide pacts and the internet |journal=BMJ |date=4 December 2004 |volume=329 |issue=7478 |pages=1298–1299 |doi=10.1136/bmj.329.7478.1298 |pmid=15576715 |pmc=534825 }}{{cite journal |last1=Brown |first1=M. |last2=Barraclough |first2=B. |title=Epidemiology of suicide pacts in England and Wales, 1988-92 |journal=BMJ |date=2 August 1997 |volume=315 |issue=7103 |pages=286–287 |doi=10.1136/bmj.315.7103.286 |pmid=9274548 |pmc=2127190 }} Although suicide pacts are found to be rare however, there are traditional suicide pacts that have typically developed among individuals who know each other, such as a couple of friends. Additionally, a suicide pact that has been formed or developed in some way through the use of the Internet is known as a cyber suicide pact.{{cite book |last1=Rajagopal |first1=Sundararajan |chapter=The Internet and suicide pacts |pages=185–196 |editor1-last=Sher |editor1-first=Leo |editor2-last=Vilens |editor2-first=Alexander |title=Internet and Suicide |date=2009 |publisher=Nova Science Publishers |isbn=978-1-60741-077-5 |oclc=1131971193 }} A primary difference between cyber suicide pacts and traditional suicide pacts is that these pacts are usually formed among strangers. They mostly use online chat rooms and virtual bulletin boards and forums as an unmediated avenue to share their feelings with other like-minded individuals, which can be easier than talking about such thoughts and feelings in person.

The first documented use of the Internet to form a suicide pact was reported in Japan in 2000. It has now become a more common form of suicide in Japan, where the suicide rate increased from 34 suicides in 2003 to 91 suicides in 2005. Also, South Korea now has one of the world's highest suicide rates (24.7/100 000 in 2005), and evidence exists that cyber suicide pacts may account for almost one-third of suicides in that country. Suicide pacts are also in the United States. In April 2018, Macon Middle School, a middle school in North Carolina, became aware of a group on social media called "Edgy" or "Edgy Fan Page 101" in which this group came up with a suicide pact and had suicidal ideations. The middle school contacted the parents and informed them to look into their children's social media pages and talk with them about the dangers of a group like this.{{cite news |title=NC school district warns of possible social media suicide pact |url=https://www.wric.com/news/nc-school-district-warns-of-possible-social-media-suicide-pact/ |work=WRIC ABC 8News |agency=WSPA |date=26 April 2018 }}

Gerald Krein{{cite web | title=Sheriff: Online suicide pact had sexual overtones | website=cnn.com | date=2005-02-13 | url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/12/valentine.suicide/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305104314/http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/12/valentine.suicide/index.html | archive-date=2016-03-05 | url-status=dead }} and William Francis Melchert-Dinkel were accused of arranging internet suicide pacts.

Interventions

Suicide intervention on social media has saved many lives on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. All of the aforementioned companies have slightly different ways to report posts that may seem suicidal.

=Facebook=

Facebook, assisted by, among a handful of other experts, Dr. Dan Reidenburg of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education—"uses an algorithm to track down buzzwords and phrases that are commonly associated with suicide" and has intervened in over 3,500 cases, according to company reports. The algorithm reportedly tracks buzzwords and phrases associated with suicide and an alert is sent to Facebook's Safety Center.{{cite news|url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/facebook-trying-to-prevent-suicide-by-tracking-what-we-post/89-52f753df-ffc9-4820-9702-a525cf14995c|title=Facebook trying to prevent suicide by tracking what we post|last=Severson|first=Gordon|date=2019-01-01|publisher=KARE|accessdate=2019-01-01|quote=The technology itself isn't going to send somebody to their house. A person at Facebook would have to do that...|archive-date=2023-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604082153/https://www.kare11.com/article/news/facebook-trying-to-prevent-suicide-by-tracking-what-we-post/89-52f753df-ffc9-4820-9702-a525cf14995c|url-status=live}}

"The technology itself isn't going to send somebody to their house. A person at Facebook would have to do that..."

:–Dr. Dan Reidenburg

=Twitter=

Demi Moore and her followers intervened to stop a suicide that had been announced on Twitter.{{Cite web|title = Demi Moore's Twitter followers help stop a suicide – CNET|url = http://www.cnet.com/news/demi-moores-twitter-followers-help-stop-a-suicide/|website = CNET|accessdate = 2015-12-01|archive-date = 2015-12-08|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208140727/http://www.cnet.com/news/demi-moores-twitter-followers-help-stop-a-suicide/|url-status = live}}
Twitter followers of Chicago rapper CupcakKe alerted authorities after the rapper posted ominous phrases onto Twitter. She later thanked all of her followers after receiving help.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/10/cupcakke-hospitalised-twitter-social-media-suicidal-posts|title=What are social media companies doing about suicidal posts?|last=Bryant|first=Miranda|date=2019-01-10|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-03-25|language=en-GB |archive-date=2019-05-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527175220/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/10/cupcakke-hospitalised-twitter-social-media-suicidal-posts|url-status=live}}

=Forums=

A South German was prevented from killing himself after Spanish internet users saw him announcing his decision.{{Cite web|url=https://www.generation-nt.com/internaute-allemand-bremerhaven-menace-suicide-direct-forum-video-webcam-sauve-intervention-internautes-policiers-espagnols-secours-allemand-actualite-22884.html|title=Un Allemand sauvé du suicide grâce à Internet|website=Génération-NT|date=17 March 2007|access-date=5 March 2021|archive-date=5 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190305143902/https://www.generation-nt.com/internaute-allemand-bremerhaven-menace-suicide-direct-forum-video-webcam-sauve-intervention-internautes-policiers-espagnols-secours-allemand-actualite-22884.html|url-status=live}}

Discussion and support groups

The Defense Centers of Excellence have expressed interest in using social media for suicide prevention.{{cite web|url=http://www.dcoe.health.mil/blog/article.aspx?id=1&postid=63|title=Harnessing New and Social Media to Prevent Suicide|publisher=Defense Centers of Excellence|date=January 22, 2010|access-date=July 1, 2010|archive-date=January 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125055224/http://www.dcoe.health.mil/blog/article.aspx?id=1&postid=63|url-status=dead}} Facebook groups have sometimes been set up for suicide prevention purposes,{{cite web|url=http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/promoting-hope-preventing-suicide/201006/suicide-prevention-in-cyberspace|title=Suicide prevention in cyberspace|date=June 16, 2010|author=Elana Premack Sandler|publisher=Psychology Today|access-date=July 1, 2010|archive-date=August 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801222738/https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/promoting-hope-preventing-suicide/201006/suicide-prevention-in-cyberspace|url-status=live}} including one that attracted 47,000 members.{{cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/life/Anti+suicide+Facebook+group+elicits+positive+messages/3151586/story.html|title=Anti-suicide Facebook group elicits positive messages|author=Minsky, Amy|publisher=The Vancouver Sun|date=2001-11-24|access-date=2019-01-27|archive-date=2010-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820111107/http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Anti+suicide+Facebook+group+elicits+positive+messages/3151586/story.html|url-status=dead}} Although many teens and preteens encounter suicide-related posts from peers on different social media apps, they also encounter suicide prevention hotlines and website links as well.{{Cite web |last=Franks |first=Mary Anne |date=2025-05-29 |title=6 Key Steps to Fight Cyber Harassment Effectively |url=https://digitalforensicsquad.com/fight-cyber-harassment-effectively/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://digitalforensicsquad.com/guides/ |archive-date=2025-05-29 |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=Articles on Sextortion & Blackmail - Expert Advice on the Blog |language=en-US}}

SAMHSA's Suicide Prevention Lifeline operates on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.{{cite web|url=http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsaNewsletter/Volume_18_Number_2/SuicidePreventionLifeline.aspx|title=Suicide Prevention Lifeline Update|author=SAMHSA|access-date=2010-07-01|archive-date=2014-10-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010045936/http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsanewsletter/Volume_18_Number_2/SuicidePreventionLifeline.aspx|url-status=live}} The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention is trying to understand and prevent suicide through research, education, and advocacy.