Launch of new #chatsafe guidelines to support safe online conversations about suicide and self-harm for young people

#chatsafe is a suicide prevention program that aims to empower and equip young people to communicate safely online about self-harm and suicide. The program encompasses developing and globalising evidence-based guidelines, co-designing social media content with young people, testing the safety and effectiveness of social media campaign content, exploring online communication about self-harm, online postvention responses and working with parents and schools.

The #chatsafe guidelines are designed for young people between 12 and 25 years of age; however, they may also be helpful for adults in young people’s lives. In addition to the main #chatsafe guidelines, we have developed specific resources for parents and carers, educators, and bereaved communities.

The original guidelines were developed in 2018 and were focused solely on suicide. These original guidelines were globalized and distributed in 25 different world regions and included in the safety centres of Facebook and Instagram. We also co-designed a social media campaign based on the guidelines posted on popular social media platforms.

Despite the success of the original guidelines, an obvious gap was the absence of self-harm guidance. Moreover, since 2018, social media and the body of literature have considerably evolved. To include self-harm and reflect current evidence, affordances, and trends, we needed to update and expand the guidelines to really reflect the ways young people use social media today.

As with the original guidelines, we used the Delphi method to develop the new guidelines. This involved conducting a systematic search of the literature, discussions with key stakeholders (including young people, the social media industry and policymakers), and two rounds of questionnaires to measure and develop consensus on what should be included in the guidelines. The questionnaires were completed by a panel of young people and suicide prevention professionals. The items that reached consensus for inclusion were converted into prose and written into the guidelines.

For more information on this, you can see the original Delphi paper here: https://bit.ly/42TpPWd

Self-harm behaviour is common among young people, and online communication about self-harm, including visual content, is frequent. We know that young people can be exposed to self-harm content even if they do not look for it, which can be harmful if unsafe. For example, it depicts wounds or instructions. We also know that posting about self-harm experiences can be helpful to both the poster and others if it is done in a safe way. For example, they are sharing alternative coping strategies. Given the prevalence of these communications and potential risks, we must educate young people on how to post about and respond to self-harm in a safe manner. This is particularly important because self-harm, like suicide, is a highly stigmatised topic, and young people may not seek help offline for fear of discrimination or other negative consequences, which can mean online pathways are the only way that they can express their experiences and obtain information and support. These informal interventions can encourage young people to engage in formal support and prevent or reduce adverse outcomes such as future suicide.

Self-harm and suicide games, pacts, and hoaxes exist online, and it is not helpful to avoid talking about them. It is important to educate young people about this and that it can cause significant and long-lasting harm to the poster and others. For example, games may initially seem innocuous but can end in death. Young people should not create, share, or interact with self-harm and suicide games, pacts, and hoaxes. Instead, they should report them to the relevant platform.

If a young person is engaged in one of these activities, it may be helpful for them to inform a trusted adult and seek professional support. If these conversations are permitted, and a safe space is created, young people may be more likely to disclose their awareness of or involvement in a game or pact. It is also worth noting that creating self-harm and suicide games and pacts is illegal in Australia.

It can be harder to recognise a hoax immediately. Therefore, it can be helpful to verify the information. For example, if the hoax is about a celebrity’s death, they can check well-known, reputable news sources to confirm the information before sharing the content. False information should be reported.

The other new section of the guidelines targets influencers, so have a look if you want to see our recommendations for that group.

They can familiarise themselves with the guidelines and embed them into their practice. For example, using the recommended safe language tips when discussing self-harm or suicide. Clinicians can give their clients a copy of the guidelines, provide psychoeducation based on the information in the guidelines, and practice communication skills with them. For example, scripting posts or conversations and role-playing. Organisations can also promote the guidelines and associated social media content via their social media accounts and share them with their youth networks.

The other important groups are parents and educators. In addition to our guidance for these groups, we are currently working with school staff and students, so watch this space for more on that.