Since the rise of social media, there have been numerous cases of individuals being influenced towards committing suicide through their use of social media, and even of individuals arranging to broadcast suicide attempts, some successful, on social media. Researchers have studied social media and suicide to determine what, if any, risks social media poses in terms of suicide, and to identify methods of mitigating such risks, if they exist.
The search for a correlation has not yet uncovered a clear answer. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, [ 1 ] [ 2 ] and as of , the second leading cause of death in the United States for those aged 15β In , people in the US had a suicide rate of Suicide remains a significant public health issue worldwide, despite prevention efforts and treatments.
For this reason, there are a variety of sources that are accessible to the public in various forms, especially social media sites such as Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , YouTube , Snapchat , TikTok and many more. Although these platforms were intended to allow people to connect virtually, these platforms can lead to cyber-bullying, insecurity, and emotional distress, and sometimes may influence a person to attempt suicide.
Bullying, whether on social media or elsewhere, physical or not, significantly increases victims' risk of suicidal behavior. Media algorithms tend to popularize videos and posts to inform the country of the rising trouble, which may create a popular appeal to the young and immature minds of teenagers. This is why, social media could provide higher risks with the promotion of different kinds of pro-suicidal sites, message boards , chat rooms, and forums.
Therefore, the role the Internet plays, particularly social media, in suicide-related behavior is a topic of growing interest. There is substantial evidence that the Internet and social media can influence suicide-related behavior. A research study conducted by Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin found a correlation between cyberbullying and suicide. This presents a significant public health concern, with over 40, suicides in the United States and nearly one million worldwide annually.
