Facebook is introducing a new suicide prevention tool

Facebook has created a series of tools for users to notify the company if they see a Facebook friend exhibiting worrying behaviour on the site.

The tools have been built with the help of Samaritans and will be rolled out in the UK following successful trials in the United States and Australia. According to Wired UK, once you report worrying content, the user who posted it will be sent a notification asking them if they need help from a friend or a confidential phone or chat service, and will be given tips on how to deal with suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-harm. Explicit threats of suicide reported will result in being given the number for the emergency services. Head of Safety at Facebook, Julie De Baillencourt said:"We worked with organisations including Samaritans to develop these tools, and one of the first things they told us was how much connecting with people who care can help those who are struggling to cope – whether offline or online.