Googling Suicide: Evaluation of Websites According to the Content Associated With Suicide

Abstract

The Internet is increasingly being used to acquire information about personal experiences and health, but the credibility of this information is debatable. It has been reported that methods of suicide and access to suicidal means are explicitly discussed in some of the websites, with users being encouraged to attempt suicidal acts in some cases. Access to web content with pro-suicidal features is monitored in many countries. In Turkey, the frequency of people visiting these websites is unknown. Moreover, a program has not been established that targets online users. This study aims to provide information about the information that a person may come across after searching online for suicide and suicide methods in Turkish language. Method: After searching for particular suicidal phrases (i.e., "suicide methods," "painless suicide," "guaranteed suicide," "killing yourself " and "how can I die") in the Google search engine, three psychiatrists evaluated the results independently, according to the content. Results: 42 of the 100 websites (42%) were found to have properties that are pro-suicidal, whereas 13 of them (13%) were found to have content that may be considered protective against suicidal thoughts and actions. Among the websites that were reported to be protective, none had any kind of supervision or guidance from mental health professionals. Conclusion: Suicidal content, as well as the possibility of content generated on the Internet, should be taken into account while planning suicide prevention programs. Further studies are needed to determine which risk factors and protective features of the Internet affect suicidal behavior among individuals.

Exposure to, and searching for, information about suicide and self-harm on the Internet: Prevalence and predictors in a population based cohort of young adults

“…While Internet search studies have highlighted that pro-suicide information and details of suicide methods are easily accessible online ( Biddle et al, 2008; Recupero et al, 2008; Sakarya et al, 2013 ), such studies do not tell us anything about the actual number of individuals who access such sites. In the youth Internet safety survey, Mitchell et al (2014) found that 1% of adolescents (aged 10–17 years) in the USA had accessed websites which encouraged self-harm or suicide.…”

“…However, there is also concern that exposure to online S/Sh-related content may increase suicide risk amongst vulnerable individuals ( Baker and Lewis, 2013 ; Harris and Roberts, 2013 ; Lewis and Baker, 2011 ; Lewis et al, 2012 ; Whitlock et al, 2006 ). Websites that encourage or facilitate suicide and sites containing technical information on suicide methods are easily accessed online ( Biddle et al, 2008; Recupero et al, 2008; Sakarya et al, 2013 ) and S/Sh-related Internet use had been reported both in coroners’ records and by survivors of suicide attempts ( Becker et al, 2004 ; Biddle et al, 2012 ; Gunnell et al, 2012 ; Prior, 2004 ). There is also concern that the ease at which information is shared online may contribute to the uptake of new suicide methods ( Gunnell et al, 2014 ).…”

Jaunų Žmonių Savižudybių Fenomeno Diskursas

“…Mokslininkai ištyrė, kad kai kuriose interneto svetainėse yra aiškiai aptariami savižudybių metodai ir joms reikalingos priemonės, o kai kuriais atvejais vartotojai net skatinami mėginti nusižudyti [30]. Įrodyta, kad kibernetinės patyčios yra susijusios su savižudiškomis mintimis ar elgesiu.…”

Is A Person Thinking About Suicide Likely to Find Help on the Internet? An Evaluation of Google Search Results

“…Help‐seeking for suicidal thoughts and behaviors is infrequent, despite suicide being a leading cause of death in many developed countries (Michelmore & Hindley, ). The Internet is becoming a major source for health information, including for suicide ideation, and previous research has highlighted the array of potentially dangerous resources currently available online (e.g., Biddle, Donovan, Hawton, Kapur, & Gunnell, ; Recupero, Harms, & Noble, ; Sakarya, Gunes, & Sakarya, ). A Turkish study by Sakarya et al.…”

“…A Turkish study by Sakarya et al. () found that 42% of websites that appeared in a Google search of suicide‐related terms had properties that were pro‐suicide, while only 13% were considered suicide preventive. Likewise, a UK study found that half of the websites dedicated to the topic of suicide presented a pro‐suicide view (Biddle et al., ).…”