MENTAL HEALTH
DIGITAL HARM
stop me feeling so embarrassed .’ allanswart / iStock
This September saw the Online Safety Bill pass through parliament , ready to become law . With it comes new obligations for platforms to moderate harmful suicide and self-harm content that ’ s currently easily accessible online .
However , for people over 18 , much of their safety online will still be left in their own hands . Platforms will be required to provide adults with ‘ user-empowerment tools ’ to help them manage what they see – but ultimately how they use these tools will be for individuals to decide .
Harmful suicide and selfharm online content can have a devastating effect on people . Recent research Samaritans did with Swansea University found that three quarters of survey respondents harmed themselves more severely after viewing online self-harm content . A further 83 per cent of social media users surveyed were recommended self-harm content on their personalised feeds without searching for it .
It ’ s crucial that we continue to support people to make safe and positive decisions about what
Are we asking enough questions about the internet ' s impact on self-harm and suicide risk , asks Fran Edmans
they do online . Practitioners are in a unique position to provide this support , yet many don ’ t ask about online activity around suicide and self-harm . A recent survey from Samaritans Lived Experience Panel found that 94 per cent of respondents had never been asked about their online experiences by a service provider , but 60 per cent agreed that this would be useful .
To address this , Samaritans has developed internet safety training around suicide and selfharm for practitioners . It ’ s free to access and relevant for anyone who provides ongoing support around these issues .
The training provides practical advice on how to start open and non-judgmental conversations about people ’ s online experiences . This includes how to bring the topic up , what questions you should ask , and advice and prompts you can give to help people decide what they want to see and do online .
To develop the training , Samaritans engaged with people with lived experience and over 200 practitioners from across the UK . We explored the barriers that stop service providers from asking people about their internet use , and what good support would look like for people engaging with this content online .
Many practitioners explained that they often feel nervous talking about online activity . They feel overwhelmed by the size of the internet and the speed of change , and worry that they don ’ t know enough about online technologies .
They also worried that they don ’ t have the right language to use . They were concerned that questions about internet activity would be seen as invasive , or that they may prompt people to look for dangerous material that they may not otherwise be viewing . One practitioner told Samaritans , ‘ Sometimes you feel like you ’ re walking on eggshells ; you have to be careful with your words when you ’ re talking about online activity .’
Yet , asking about online activity is critical : it can help practitioners better understand someone ’ s self-harm and suicide risk , as well as their wider care needs .
Service users are clear that this is an area that they want practitioners to address . One person explained , ‘ If they didn ’ t ask me , I would never talk about my online use . By asking , it would
Often people themselves find it hard to understand the impact of their online activity . It can change over time , so that something that was helpful at one point can become part of a negative pattern of behaviour later . As such , it is helpful to have a safe space where they can reflect on their online experiences and better understand the impact it has on them . As one person explained , ‘ I don ' t feel anybody has a grasp on self-harm conversations online , so to understand it requires a good relationship between practitioner and patient .’
Samaritans ’ internet safety training gives practitioners a wider understanding of the risks and benefits of online activity and the way the internet is used by people looking for support around suicide and self-harm . So far , the training has been accessed by over 11,000 practitioners from across the UK , and the majority of learners feel that it has directly helped them with specific elements of their work .
While a further evaluation into the impact of this training is currently underway , Samaritans is encouraging more practitioners to take a look at their resources , to help equip them to better support those negatively affected by the internet .
Fran Edmans is digital products manager at Samaritans . The training is at : www . samaritans . org / internet-safety-practitioners
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