MUMBAI: In its partnership with Mumbai cyber police to flag content suggesting suicidal intent of users, Meta’s role involves scouring Facebook and Instagram for posts, images or videos hinting at such contemplation. Upon identifying such cries for help, they relay the user’s details-name, profile picture, contact information-to Mumbai cyber police.Initially, alerts arrived as emails, but recognising the need for human touch, Meta transitioned to followup phone calls, police sources said.
“Alerts come at all hours,” said a head constable who is a bridge between Meta and his colleagues at the cyber police department. The head constable shares all alerts received from Meta on an internal WhatsApp group comprising colleagues. The group springs into action almost immediately-some track the individual’s location, others contact the nearest police station. The group attempts to connect with the person and offer support and counselling.
Last Feb, a 26-year-old college dropout, son of a farmer, kept police on their toes as he kept changing his location after posting a social media note on his intention to end his life. He spoke of “continuous failures” in his career and chillingly mentioned organ donation. Police raced against time, reaching his apartment in Chunabhatti, only to find him missing and the door locked. The frantic search led them to Karjat railway station where they finally found him. After hours of counselling, they pulled him back from the brink.
Beyond failed careers, the trigger for such thoughts varies-soured love affair, academic pressure, family conflict, serious illness and even online scams. In the first month of the initiative in Jan 2023, four lives were saved. By Dec 2023, the number had grown to 19 per month, demonstrating the initiative’s effectiveness.
The reach extends beyond Mumbai. In Dec last year, cyber police received an alert about a 10th grader from Kashmir scammed of Rs 10,000 in an online fraud and was contemplating suicide. He hadn’t told his parents about the loss. After police reassured him that they would attempt to recover his money, he calmed down. “And though his money couldn’t be recovered later, he promised to not take any drastic step and stays in touch with us,” said the head constable.
“Alerts come at all hours,” said a head constable who is a bridge between Meta and his colleagues at the cyber police department. The head constable shares all alerts received from Meta on an internal WhatsApp group comprising colleagues. The group springs into action almost immediately-some track the individual’s location, others contact the nearest police station. The group attempts to connect with the person and offer support and counselling.
Last Feb, a 26-year-old college dropout, son of a farmer, kept police on their toes as he kept changing his location after posting a social media note on his intention to end his life. He spoke of “continuous failures” in his career and chillingly mentioned organ donation. Police raced against time, reaching his apartment in Chunabhatti, only to find him missing and the door locked. The frantic search led them to Karjat railway station where they finally found him. After hours of counselling, they pulled him back from the brink.
Beyond failed careers, the trigger for such thoughts varies-soured love affair, academic pressure, family conflict, serious illness and even online scams. In the first month of the initiative in Jan 2023, four lives were saved. By Dec 2023, the number had grown to 19 per month, demonstrating the initiative’s effectiveness.
The reach extends beyond Mumbai. In Dec last year, cyber police received an alert about a 10th grader from Kashmir scammed of Rs 10,000 in an online fraud and was contemplating suicide. He hadn’t told his parents about the loss. After police reassured him that they would attempt to recover his money, he calmed down. “And though his money couldn’t be recovered later, he promised to not take any drastic step and stays in touch with us,” said the head constable.