Mark Zuckerberg ’s all - embrace and ever - present social media web is now employing the help of artificial intelligence to attempt to foreclose   one of the leave causa of death among the Facebook generation : self-annihilation .

Facebook denote their action plan in astatement on Wednesday , a plan that include live chat bread and butter through Facebook Messenger and a better reporting system for suicide , assisted by stilted intelligence .

The move get along hot on the heels of legion high - profile teenaged suicide narration that have revolved around Facebook . In January , a 14 - year - old girl in Floridareportedlylive - pour her suicide through Facebook Live . That same month , theyalso make out under firefor struggling to remove copiesof a TV showing a 12 - class - old girl commit felo-de-se .

The statement did not bring up how they would present these issues when it come to videos , other than their established mean of flagging up and reportage   content . Cynics will argue all this comes at the price of privacy and intrusion . It ’s also incertain how the AI will pick up on sarcasm or sullen humour . Take , for example , a comment like “ I hate my life ! ”

Joe Franklin , assistant professor at Florida State University ’s Technology and Psychopathology Lab , toldMIT Technology Reviewthere ’s very petty scientific grounds that these kind of tools are particularly effective at spotting suicidal behavior or mental wellness problems .

“ I do n’t think it ’s a uncollectible thing and I think we should read it , ” he said . “ But I would at once have questions –   I would not simulate it would be effective . ”

Nevertheless , the drive is a worthy one . Suicide is the second highest cause of dying for 15 to 29 - year - olds in the US . vernal man in the UK , cured 20 to 49 ,   are also more likely to conk from felo-de-se than any other cause of destruction . Facebook – in an alone office to connect and supervise these demographics –   no dubiousness feels a sense of responsibility and duty to help cover this worrying issue .