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Kota Kinabalu: The way print and social media report suicides and sudden deaths can unwittingly trigger more tragedies, according to National Council of Befrienders Malaysia President Jessie Ting (pic).

“Every journalist, editor, content creator and social media user holds the power to either prevent deaths or contribute to them through their reporting and sharing choices,” she said at the “Together Saving Lives” talk, recently.

The talk organised by the National Council of Befrienders Malaysia and supported by the Ministry of Health, Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance, is part of a nationwide series introducing ethical suicide reporting guidelines.

Jessie noted that print and social media often publish images of victims, some with identity cards, death scenes and detailed methods that research shows can directly cause more deaths. 

“Bodies in white sheets, bloodstained weapons, exact locations and methods used. Content creators and established news outlets alike are often violating international suicide reporting guidelines,” she said citing her study of Malaysian media from July to November last year which documented a hike in graphic reporting. 

She said a peer-reviewed study published in PLOS One found that when actor Robin Williams died in August 2014, graphic media coverage triggered a 9.85 per cent surge in suicides above expected rates.

“Irresponsible suicide reporting can trigger imitations, imitative behaviours, copycats and surge in suicide,” she said, adding that in Malaysia, with 97.7 per cent internet penetration and over 23 million active Facebook users which makes about 64.4 per cent of the population, a single irresponsible post can reach millions within hours.

“Do we want our children to see this type of graphic photos on the internet? It is traumatising and also giving behaviour indications.”

Citing a recent case where a man’s untimely death was reported in graphic detail, including his identity card information shared on social media, Jessie said by the time she got the news, it has been shared 731 times. 

“As a mental health advocate, I am very much affected by this news,” said Jessie who has been a Befrienders helpline volunteer for 15 years.

“Four years ago, while on a crisis duty, I received a photo from a university student of herself standing on the 10th-floor ledge, contemplating suicide.

“The student had found Befrienders through a responsible Facebook post that tells of confidential, non-judgmental help.

“Four years on, she is a medical doctor. She survived. She also became an advocate for others,” Jessie said, pointing out the difference between the type of social media post that saves lives and ones that ends them.

On that note, she urged media professionals, first responders, social media users and the public to review content against ethical reporting guidelines and use platform report functions to flag harmful posts.

“Amplify survivors of suicide, help line numbers, not just tragedies. Ethical reporting does not just inform, it prevents harm and saves lives,” she said.