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. 2012 May;102 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S195-200.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300608. Epub 2012 Mar 8.

Social media and suicide: a public health perspective

David D Luxton  1 , Jennifer D June, Jonathan M Fairall
Affiliations

Social media and suicide: a public health perspective

David D Luxton et al. Am J Public Health. 2012 May.

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that the Internet and social media can influence suicide-related behavior. Important questions are whether this influence poses a significant risk to the public and how public health approaches might be used to address the issue. To address these questions, we provide an overview of ways that social media can influence suicidal behavior, both negatively and positively, and we evaluate the evidence of the risk. We also discuss the legal complexities of this important topic and propose future directions for research and prevention programs based on a public health perspective.

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References

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