Can Facebook Save Your Life?

           This article was about Facebook being used as a suicide note outlet in the recent years. As sad as that is, there seems to be some good coming out of it. A status set as a suicide note allows the people who view it on the newsfeed to get help for their friend- or at least try. In fact, you can now flag a comment/status as a "suicidal content" which will immediately connect the person who wrote the message to an anonymous chat room with a private crisis counselor. Some, if not most people, prefer this method to picking up a phone. I think that this is a good thing and could save lives.
        The author uses a lot of evidence to prove her point and maintains a serious tone appropriate for this serious topic. She opens the article with startling, but concise, stories about people who wrote about their suicide hours or days before they followed through with it. "In September 2010, Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi posted on his Facebook page that he was “Jumping off the gw bridge sorry” – and then did. Last Christmas, Simone Back wrote that she “Took all my pills be dead soon so bye bye every one.” Several Facebook “friends” added disparaging comments, but no one stepped forward to check on her. Black’s body was found the next day." (Williams 1). This proves that this stuff actually happens and viewers should step in and try to get them help. She explains that comments can be flagged as "suicidal content" and the person will receive help. She also explains that google makes sure that when you search for the word "suicide" the first thing that comes up is the red phone image with "need help?" and the telephone number for a suicide hotline. She ends her article with a very true statement, "But if Google and Facebook can figure out how to help, surely the rest of us can come up with a few ideas as well. We can start by remembering that a voice on the phone, a supportive shoulder, or the offer to drive someone to a crisis center can be powerful as well. Sometimes, saving a human life still requires a human touch." (Williams). I think that this was her main message to her audience.