After Hong Kong’s spate of student suicides, we should all act as digital Samaritans for those in need
Paul Yip says social media users can help save lives by engaging with vulnerable friends at a time when cyberbullying, rumour-spreading and other forms of online abuse are widespread
Facebook, the world’s largest online social network with 1.65 billion active users, is appealing to its users to look out for their friends and take the initiative to offer help if necessary. In our study of recent student suicides in Hong Kong, over half had indicated suicidal thoughts on social media before they killed themselves, either expressing their feelings and/or seeking help from others.
Social media provides an opportunity to engage these vulnerable young people and save lives. It should also be noted that the spate of suicides could be a result of the copycat effect of extensive sensational media reporting and sharing this negative news on social media, which can affect these vulnerable people.
Hong Kong has more than 4.9 million active Facebook users each month. Young people have made good use of the platform to share photos and connect with each other. At the same time, some distressed people have used it to share their frustrations, as sometimes they find it difficult to do so face to face. Online, they feel safe and can take charge of the situation.
To prevent student suicides, all of Hong Kong has to fight the battle – each and every day
In one of our latest surveys, some 24 per cent of young people said that when they felt distressed, they did not seek help from traditional means, but would readily open up and share things on social media. It is encouraging to see that Facebook and Google have shown corporate social responsibility by promoting online safety and support for those in need, especially the young.