Nov 27, 2017

Facebook turns to AI to spot suicidal thoughts

David McCabe

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2016. Photo: Manu Fernadez / AP

Facebook said Monday it would use artificial intelligence to identify posts and live videos where users are expressing suicidal thoughts.

Why it matters: The company has been under pressure for live-streaming violent and graphic incidents, while being accused of not having the human resources to successfully moderate live content on its platform.

The details:

  • Facebook's Guy Rosen said the company would use "pattern recognition technology to help identify posts and live streams as likely to include thoughts of suicide."
  • That technology will launch outside of the U.S. and, according to Facebook, ultimately be used around the world but not in the European Union.
  • The company will also be tasking more human employees with vetting reports of possible self-harm on the platform.

Go deeper: Our report earlier this year on how Facebook Live had been hosting videos of gruesome crimes.

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