Suicide Prevention: AI Monitoring of Online Behavior Can Alert Parents and Healthcare Professionals of At-Risk Minors

The heart-rending headlines sadly are no longer rare. In the US there are 10.5 deaths by suicide per 100,000 adolescents (ages 15-19). Suicide rates among young people have been on the rise in recent years, with an alarming increase among female students. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for those aged 10-14 and the third leading cause of death for those aged 15-19.

Suicide is a complex multi-factor problem. Some of the causative factors include:

• Mental Health: Conditions like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are major risk factors.   

• Previous Attempts: A history of suicide attempts is a strong predictor of future attempts and death by suicide.   

• Family History: A family history of suicide or mental health conditions increases the risk.   

• Social Factors: Bullying, academic stress, social isolation, and relationship problems can contribute.   

• Access to Lethal Means: Access to firearms is a significant risk factor.

Often, many families traumatized by suicide “didn’t see it coming”. In retrospect, the signs may have been there. However, the accumulation of suicidal ideation, communication, and contemplation hints provide significant insights into the thinking and feeling of a potential victim of suicide.

The “cookie crumbs” left behind successful suicides are often found in social media posts, texts, emails, and other forms of digital communication such as virtual meetings (I.e. Zoom, Google Meets, etc.) These accumulated digital messages often provide a discreet roadmap which serves as predictive cry for help.

AI’s Role in Suicide Prevention

 Artificial Intelligence can provide significant support in signaling potential suicidal thinking of students and young adults. The social media generation is uniquely unrestrained in sharing their thoughts and concerns to others online. An AI-powered social media monitoring tool can detect the student's posts, flag them as high-risk, and alert parents, counselors, or mental health professionals. This could lead to timely intervention and support, potentially preventing a suicide attempt.

An individual researching suicide methods online visits various websites and forums, leaving behind a digital trail of their distress. However, they don't explicitly reach out for help. AI algorithms can analyze online behavior patterns and identify individuals exhibiting high-risk search queries and website visits. This could trigger alerts to concerned family members or mental health professionals, enabling early intervention and necessary support. The predictive modeling power of AI can use machine learning to predict the likelihood of suicide attempts in individuals, allowing for early intervention and support. 

Personal Privacy Protection

 These oversight roles of AI analysis raise questions of the violation of personal privacy. In the US, privacy rights are among the most hallowed of personal prerogatives. However, parental responsibilities justify insights into the minds and behaviors of minors. Especially is this so when personal harm is threatened. Institutions providing education, health care, and mental health are charged with similar parental responsibilities as well.

Guardrail’s Commitment to Suicide Prevention

Since the time of its formation, Guardrail Technologies has committed its resources to the application of AI to prevent harm to humans. Some of its products have specific value in the prevention of suicide. Prompt Protect™ analyzes and identifies prompts for AI responses which contain specific words and phrases indicating that someone might be considering suicide. It can be configured to notify designated individuals such as parents, counselors, and mental health professionals of the use of such search terms and launch early intervention. Sunscreen™ provides similar protection and notification of the use of such terms in virtual meetings.

Guardrail Technologies brings AI into the realm of suicide prevention by keeping responsible “humans in the loop” of student behaviors and mindsets which portend suicidal tendancies.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out for help. Here are some resources:

• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial or text 988

• The Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

• The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 (specifically for LGBTQ+ youth)