Ways to Commit Suicide in the Internet

The Internet really holds the answer to all of man’s questions. Just google any query, click on a link, and there it is, details on every what, where, when, why, and how – even how to commit suicide.

I was particularly troubled that there was in fact vast information on ways to commit suicide that is available in the Internet. Four days ago, one of our family friends took her own life by drinking formalin. She was 19. With no one to talk to about her suicidal thoughts, I think that she could have turned to the Internet for help, mostly reading websites on the top ten ways to commit suicide or searching for the least painful way of ending one’s life.

I tried googling “ways to commit suicide” and one link directed me to this article, “Ways to Commit Suicide Google Search Changed in U.S.” Apparently alarmed with the rising incidents of suicide and the growing unbridled information about committing suicide on the Internet, Google has decided to intervene by indicating a free hotline number that would come up above the search results to serve as a reminder for the searcher to reconsider his or her thoughts on suicide. The 'ways to commit suicide' search however is only available in the United States. Also, there are still means to circumvent this initiative by searching 'ways to kill' or 'top ten ways to commit suicide.' Despite of such glitches however, I think this move of Google should push forward. I just hope we could implement the same in the Philippines.