Please add a reporting option for suicide and self-harm methods

[JessJesss]

While it’s ok for people to post about feelings relating to suicide or self-harm, posts about actual methods shouldn’t be allowed (as per advice from Samaritans, Mind etc).

I have quite often reported posts that mention specific methods of suicide and have had some really disappointing responses from MN before now - eg telling me you can’t edit posts, well fine then take it down and let the poster know they need to repost without that.

I wondered if you’d consider a reporting option for this. It would be nice to feel MN takes online safety seriously.

NB I really am not criticising or stigmatising people who suffer with these feelings, I have and do myself. But MN does a patchy job of dealing with talk of methods.

Do you mean they should make it against talk guidelines?

Because otherwise you can use the 'other - please specify' option on the reporting list.

It should be against talk guidelines - is it not already?!

I’m using the ‘other’ option but it would be good if this was specifically listed.

I don't think it needs a separate tick box. I think it is better covered by typing an explanation in the box for "other"

I dont see what benefit there would be. You put in the 'other' box why you're reporting it. Its the same MNHQ staff who review posts regardless of which box is ticked. I cant see how having a specific option for self harm would make any difference to the moderating decisions

It would make it less stressful to report, I just wanted to suggest it to MN.

How is it stressful to report?

Posted too soon…you don’t need to go into a lot of detail for them to take a look

It's a good idea because (assuming MN filter) they could respond quickly

Because this stuff is triggering for people who’ve experienced similar feelings and who feel unsafe when people post about methods

This would be a good thing

The data gathered from the specific number of posts reported for this specific reason could be useful in identifying if there are particular issues resulting in an increase/decrease, if further resources are needed, directing the help posts more quickly, that kind of thing. Otherwise they disappear under the category of 'Other' and important issues might be missed that MN could help raise awareness of using their media profile, that kind of thing.

I’m sorry I still don’t understand. I get that reading the post would be triggering but I don’t see how reporting it would be.Not being unsympathetic- genuinely don’t understand.

I think it would be possible to word a tick box eg 'contains potentially harmful information/Samaritans guidelines '

I agree with the idea.

I have never once seen posts regarding methods of suicide. If you're easily triggered, online forums are probably not safe for you

How is it more triggering to read the post, press report, pick ‘other’ then type ‘please can you take a look at the content as mentions self harm?’

instead of read the post, press report, click a button that is labelled ‘self harm/suicide’ (so reading the words again)?

Lots of things can be ‘triggering’ for people. Are MN meant to have an option for all of them?

and really the context of suicide or self harm matters. There should not be a blanket ban on any mention of it.

Any company with a decent data warehouse or data engineer could also pull the data out with out a specific button.

It was MN policy to not allow any methods of suicide to be posted on the boards. Has that changed?

I’ve reported loads of posts like that, clicked other and written suicide in the box of asked HQ to post the usual links. They always respond really fast.

I'm sure MN have the ability to search how many posts reference self harm or suicide if they want to do any data gathering

Presumably different reports could be flagged as more urgent so someone calling another poster a tit for example, waits longer than more urgent topics. If there was a specific button for self harm descriptions then that could be flagged as a high priority and dealt with quicker.

im assuming that’s how it works anyway

I have never seen a thread talking about methods of suicide. Just hit report.

Just report it.

That’s because people report them and they get taken down quickly.

I've never found there to be a problem with this - posts seem to get taken down quickly and it's very rare to see anything about a method because MN tend to deal with it so quickly in my experience

I have often seen them and reported them. People may not use the word ‘suicide’ but may mention methods - I can’t give an example as the whole point is that you shouldn’t talk about methods.

Your last line is very unreasonable. I’m talking about a type of content that research has shown is unsafe for lots of people.