Facebook rolls out AI to detect suicidal posts before they’re reported

Keep those suicide jokes to a minimum.

A recent TechCrunch article warns that Facebook’s “Proactive Detection” artificial intelligence (A.I.) will use pattern recognition to contact first responders. The A.I. will contact first responders, if they deem a person’s comment[s] to have troubling suicidal thoughts.

Source

I wonder how this AI feels about dark humor or sarcasm? For example, “That pecan pie was to die for!” Moments later, someone is at your door asking to come in and perform an evaluation. Facebook has admitted to asking the police to conduct over a hundred wellness checks on people this past November.

Over the last month, we’ve worked with first responders on over 100 wellness checks based on reports we received via our proactive detection efforts. This is in addition to reports we received from people in the Facebook community.

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It's great that Facebook is taking such a “proactive” stance on trying to prevent the unstable from causing harm to themselves, except now, saying things like “I would kill for a pair of tickets to see Justin Bieber,” just might trigger the AI to warrant an officer to visit, because you know, they have nothing better to do than to perform wellness checks on whiny teens.

Not only do social media users have to worry about a spying A.I. but now they have to worry about thousands of spying Facebook ‘Community Operations’ people who are all to willing to call the police.

On the surface, it “feels” like the right thing to do, but it still boils down to a corporation that has created a system within a massive social construct that actively attempts to guage your state of mind and prompts law and health officials to confront you if they feel it's required.

My only advice? Lose the Facebook.

Well I guess if it saves even just one life, it's probably worth it.

But yeah, I share your concerns.

a reply to: eisegesis

On the surface? A noble idea.

But it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Not too keen on a website application performing a mental health diagnosis.

Might have to scrap Facebook.

For some reason, I can see a lot going wrong with this.

My prediction is that they abandon it pretty quick.

Also be very, very, careful about music recommendations;

a reply to: eisegesis

Looks like the old Tom Cruise movie The Minority Report is coming to town. That movie was about programs and devices that could detect bad behaviors before they happened by detecting hotheads. This program surely is related to fellow programs that detect pentup violence. Even if not, such programs are on the way, coming to the social media near you. Stay tuned.

Yeah before I deactivated my account a few months back (huge stress relief let me tell ya), I was complaining about work or something along those lines. Made an off the cuff "kill me" joke as one is wont to do in similar situations. I received several messages and alerts from the application letting me know that help was available, all with the appropriate contact numbers. While it's a nice gesture in general, it creeped me out that even an off the cuff joke like that was being scrutinized that way.

A for effort, but a D- for execution, I'm not sure a canned AI response is going to make that much of an impact on a suicidal person.

Also who pays in America if an ambulance is called out to your house because of a Facebook AI welfare check? The person being checked?

originally posted by: DBCowboy
Not too keen on a website application performing a mental health diagnosis.

WebMD has already told me that everything is wrong with me.

Hopefully common sense is used.. Would hate for people to post "Rough day at work" only to be visited by authorities.

originally posted by: Painterz
Also who pays in America if an ambulance is called out to your house because of a Facebook AI welfare check? The person being checked?

Best question! Someone will have to pay for it.

And who doesn't get saved when all the ambulances are out checking on the suicidals?

a reply to: eisegesis

[snort]

Good luck with that.

Simon says Facebook wouldn't know a true AI until the moment before it swallows them whole.

Which, by the way, may not be too far off.

Wish I would have taken a screenshot when it happened but Facebook actually banned me for a while and gave me a whole long spiel about how they provide suicide Prevention Services and if I wanted to speak to anybody. My meme game is too Savage for Zuckerbook I guess

a reply to: eisegesis

It wouldn't work-I know from experience.

A Few months ago I nearly did the deed so i texted my best friend, he ignored me because and I quote "i've been avoiding you because you said you are going to kill yourself" nice encouragement best bud, then my aunty-a flipping shrink-told me to seek help, and before that another Sigmund Fraud just gave me some pills and sent me on my way-that's it. So how would facebook work?

Cakes' advice is to indulge yourself in comedy if you are feeling down-funny cat videos, old re runs of sitcoms or even a bad dad joke, and if that doesn't work give Satan the middle finger to the ground and say 'be afraid Satan, be very, very afraid.'

a reply to: eisegesis

The Dank Meme crowd better be wary....those suicide joke memes/depression joke memes are going to result in a knock from the jackboots

Its a shame Facebook feels the need when family, friends, school and work and church should be detecting a problem long before it gets to the point of suicide. It's a shame that our society has become so isolated from the community that even children commit suicide after months of reported bullying.

I can imagine bored teens across the world spoofing the AI and causing multiple issues with ambulances and police running everywhere to check people.

While I think this is good if it saves lives and prevents harm.

I do think that this type of things is merely a taster of things to come. We have a worrying future. Facebook AI running through people's post history to build detailed profiles. Very worrying.

Forget government intrusion where they can be held to account. Who is going to hold Facebook to account?

originally posted by: Painterz
Also who pays in America if an ambulance is called out to your house because of a Facebook AI welfare check? The person being checked?

I never heard of an ambulance being called for a welfare check.

I'm pretty sure 911 will send the Cops - because you might need to go to jail.
It's not uncommon to arrest suicidal people and charge them with disturbing the peace or something similar.

Because you know, if things in your life suck, our government is here to make sure things get even worse.
They also want you to understand that you should just keep quiet and either do it or get over it.

There's no way to talk about severe depression anymore without risking facing severe legal repercussions or being restrained and forced onto poisonous 'medications', unless you can maintain anonymity while you do it.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Facebook, the only "book" I ever "burned"

Deleted that garbage, 7 years ago...getting close to bagging my linked in.

I don't trust much any more, being in my own personal best interest.