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Is there research on the matter? Can displaying graphic content actually nudge somebody into committing suicide? While this may sound insensitive to the matter,

Is there research on the matter? Can displaying graphic content actually nudge somebody into committing suicide? While this may sound insensitive to the matter, I'd rather opt for having data than join into the generall HN hatred of algorithmic optimization of content.

DanBC 8y ago
Yes, there is ample research that shows suicide and self-harm feature elements of contagion and suggestibility. See eg "werther effect" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide eg this example of media reporting guidelines that appear to have reduced deaths by suicide: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18082110 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18082110 > In Austria, "Media Guidelines for Reporting on Suicides", have been issued to the media since 1987 as a suicide-preventive experiment. Since then, the aims of the experiment have been to reduce the numbers of suicides and suicide attempts in the Viennese subway and to reduce the overall suicide numbers. After the introduction of the media guidelines, the number of subway suicides and suicide attempts dropped more than 80% within 6 months. Since 1991, suicides plus suicide attempts - but not the number of suicides alone - have slowly and significantly increased. The increase of passenger numbers of the Viennese subway, which have nearly doubled, and the decrease of the overall suicide numbers in Vienna (-40%) and Austria (-33%) since mid 1987 increase the plausibility of the hypothesis, that the Austrian media guidelines have had an impact on suicidal behavior.
- Odenwaelder 8y ago
  Interesting, thank you! Is this effect specific to suicide or are other behaviours such as mass shootings also related to this?
  - pjc50 8y ago
    It seems quite likely that the inevitable publicity of mass shootings encourages copycats. Occasionally the shooters even leave a note / manifesto explaining this.
sverhagen 8y ago
I don't mean to be a weekend psychiatrist, but sending the girl who committed suicide pictures of hangings -- consistently -- seems unhealthy, or at least unethical to me. The father spoke about "helping to kill" his daughter, and the social media being "partly responsible". I agree with that phrasing: they're not wholly responsible, as much as I don't believe that everyone who plays shooter games becomes a real-life killer. But there seems a clear (to me, again, not a subject matter expert) that there is a correlation, and if you get your social media in front of a few billion people, the numbers add up and you can't just absolve yourself of all responsibility. We have to look after each other, take care of the weaker and more vulnerable.

DanBC 8y ago

Yes, there is ample research that shows suicide and self-harm feature elements of contagion and suggestibility. See eg "werther effect" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide eg this example of media reporting guidelines that appear to have reduced deaths by suicide: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18082110 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18082110 > In Austria, "Media Guidelines for Reporting on Suicides", have been issued to the media since 1987 as a suicide-preventive experiment. Since then, the aims of the experiment have been to reduce the numbers of suicides and suicide attempts in the Viennese subway and to reduce the overall suicide numbers. After the introduction of the media guidelines, the number of subway suicides and suicide attempts dropped more than 80% within 6 months. Since 1991, suicides plus suicide attempts - but not the number of suicides alone - have slowly and significantly increased. The increase of passenger numbers of the Viennese subway, which have nearly doubled, and the decrease of the overall suicide numbers in Vienna (-40%) and Austria (-33%) since mid 1987 increase the plausibility of the hypothesis, that the Austrian media guidelines have had an impact on suicidal behavior.

Odenwaelder 8y ago
Interesting, thank you! Is this effect specific to suicide or are other behaviours such as mass shootings also related to this?
- pjc50 8y ago
  It seems quite likely that the inevitable publicity of mass shootings encourages copycats. Occasionally the shooters even leave a note / manifesto explaining this.

sverhagen 8y ago

I don't mean to be a weekend psychiatrist, but sending the girl who committed suicide pictures of hangings -- consistently -- seems unhealthy, or at least unethical to me. The father spoke about "helping to kill" his daughter, and the social media being "partly responsible". I agree with that phrasing: they're not wholly responsible, as much as I don't believe that everyone who plays shooter games becomes a real-life killer. But there seems a clear (to me, again, not a subject matter expert) that there is a correlation, and if you get your social media in front of a few billion people, the numbers add up and you can't just absolve yourself of all responsibility. We have to look after each other, take care of the weaker and more vulnerable.