SNS surveillance to prevent suicide in British college students?

A research team from Northumbria University in the UK conducted an experiment that monitored students’ social media in addition to other data to measure student suicide trends. As part of a funded program called the Early Alert Tool, it not only collects student data that is already being collected, such as university library usage, online or classroom class attendance, and academic performance, but also monitors their social media posts and conversations with university staff. It is said that it will start.

The purpose of this student monitoring system is to reduce college student suicide rates. They are going to use the data to identify people with mental health problems. Vice-Chancellor Peter Francis of Northumbria University says that the various forms of social media students use are related to others. It will also look at how much information this data will provide to identify students, and which data tracking or types will serve the purpose of the system.

Of course, the system complies with data protection laws and regulations, and withdrawal means that students volunteer to monitor SNS posts as part of the test program.

It is not limited to these experiments to monitor your private digital life as a means to prevent dangerous behavior. It is also an attempt at schools, data scientists and social media around the world. But what’s important here is that you’re testing. The same goes for Northumbrian University’s test program. This is an experiment to the last and is based on consent. However, even if the experiment is successful, if it is actually conducted around the world, it is necessary to consider more carefully whether or not to agree.

Invasive data collection and monitoring still contributes to many privacy and ethical concerns. Of course, it’s not a bad thing to use new tools to solve mental health problems. However, there are opinions that the use of tools that are not successful or that are flawed or prejudiced and that they are used in vulnerable groups may be dangerous and premature. Related information can be found here .