Government develops controversial new cellphone app in an effort to prevent teen suicides

[tokyocinema.livejournal.com]

Article: Government provides 'suicide prevention' services... controversial debate over whether it's actually useful

Source: Yonhap News via Naver

In an effort to prevent and decrease teen suicide rates, the government is pushing for students and parents to download an application on cellphones that monitors the student's SNS, Kakao Talk, and internet search activities and immediately alerts the parents if there are any suicide related conversations or searches.

The government is also looking into making suicide spots like rooftops less accessible by making it open only for emergencies.

These two are under criticism as being 'useless', as many including experts think that the government should be targeting the cause of suicides like societal and education pressure and family discord and working to alleviate the pressure and anxiety students feel rather than an application that students can easily bypass and work around. People also fear that blocking rooftop access will make emergency situations more confusing and dangerous.

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1. [+824, -43] Politicians are so dumb and useless

2. [+724, -22] Stuff like this is useless if the cause of suicides aren't alleviated

3. [+645, -24] So what, the government is going to be monitoring the cellphones of students now?

4. [+566, -15] Korea always picks the most useless things to do. They never to think to get to the root of the problem.

5. [+436, -14] ... So useless ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

6. [+106, -4] So will my mom get a text if I message someone saying "I'm so hungry I'm going to die" ㅠㅠ

7. [+99, -2] How about instead of blocking suicide, the government works on creating an environment that doesn't lead to suicide

8. [+83, -4] As if an app like that would help. I wonder how much money they'll be wasting on this useless project... old farts are so hopeless.

9. [+76, -4] As if any student would download that app;; they're already at an age where they're sensitive about their private lives

10. [+73, -3] Yeah, I'm sure students would love downloading that app ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ what a waste of my taxes

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Sources: Yonhap News via Naver, Netizenbuzz

Comments

[psharp10.livejournal.com]

#7 and #9 are the ones i like the most
i'm so private about everything these days the internet's probably the only place i let loose a bit bc tbh i'd rather not let my family know about my daily suicidal thoughts

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

;_;

I hope you're finding some support online at least.

[psharp10.livejournal.com]

i have a few friends i talk to but not much other than that - its ok though, i'll deal with it

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

You only need two close friends as long as they're *really* close friends you can talk about anything with - that's what they say, anyway.

I hope things improve for you. Daily is pretty bad. I have a very close friend who was daily... then weekly, then monthly, and now only thinks about suicide every other month. It can happen. Mostly her relationship with her family improved.

[psharp10.livejournal.com]

well i guess i do have at least two friends i can talk anything about with? but time zone differences + me feeling bad about burdening them makes it hard for me to talk w/ them at times, and i do have other friends who i'm close with and who aren't in good situations either so it just makes me worried and put aside my problems (which - putting aside problems - is probably not a good idea since they seem to pile up p. quickly for me)

i guess the thoughts may not be daily? but more regularly that are sort of every other day or every day sometimes although i guess it's once every few weeks or so when i actually feel like taking any action on those thoughts or take even a little action towards those thoughts

glad your friend's improving tho!

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

Korea always picks the most useless things to do. They never to think to get to the root of the problem.
That happens in a lot of countries, not just Korea. They take the "easy" route.

the government should be targeting the cause of suicides like societal and education pressure and family discord and working to alleviate the pressure and anxiety students feel
Every time education is brought up in a variety program it makes me heart hurt. The pressure is too much... The family of a couple of students that went to 'Hello Counselor' being stressed about the pressure of study, was so carefree (I'm not sure if this is the appropriate word). It blew my mind. But maybe is because I had a very relaxed scholar life and it's a cultural impact.

[blowfishprince.livejournal.com]

that moment where netizens makes sense, and makes more sense than the government.

[bunica1990.livejournal.com]

mte

[bunica1990.livejournal.com]

Ummm privacy anyone?

Netizen 9 and 7 are on point.

[torontok.livejournal.com]

This is putting a bandaid on a flesh wound.The greater issues leading to suicides need to be addressed, drinking culture, stigma surrounding mental illness, the education system etc.

And like kids would let their parents download this onto phones.Or they'd find a way around it.

[yakuniku-8.livejournal.com]

I hope they won't apply it. Teenagers need their privacy. They need moments when they are just with their friends, without their parents watching them.

On the other hand it looks like netizens expect the gouvernement to do a miracle when it's clearly a social problem for me. I mean, the government could help to make the system less competitive and bring awareness to some issues but it's not only their responsability. I think Korean schools are quite good but it's parents who pay expensive private classes for their kids to be the best. I feel like even if the gouvernment found a good measure applied nationally some parents would find a private way to avoid it.
Well, maybe if the government tries to create a good environnement at school, citizens would follow...

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

I think Korean schools are quite good but it's parents who pay expensive private classes for their kids to be the best
I feel like it should be some rules at how much a kid can spend on private classes. And the competitiveness because of grades are public doesn't help. Where I live the grades are very private, and is rude to ask about someone results (unless is your family or a close friend).

[yakuniku-8.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea. Where i live, the 1st thing we asked was "how much did you get?" and it often leads to jealousy.

[e-bone (from livejournal.com)]

I figured Kakao was good therapy for some troubled kids if they are able to use it to talk to others about problems they couldn't necessarily face to face (I know I use it for that). So now these poor kids are potentially having their safe space taken away... it doesn't even sound like "prevention", more like trying to erase all talk of depression and suicide. I pray they don't follow through with this...

[dot-rose.livejournal.com]

>_>
And what if they develop slang words because of this breach in privacy. Not very helpful. If this does get passed, I bet someone will develop an app that will block this monitoring feature.
I would be furious if I was forced to download this. It's not helping me with my suicidal thoughts.

[aquariia.livejournal.com]

I agree with knetizens comments. You need to get rid of the cause first. What about of banning any kind of school rankings? In my country those rankings don't exist and noone knows who is first in school or class.

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

Mte. Like, for real, what good do school rankings do?! Whoever does well, good for them. There's absolutely no need to compare to each other. It's crazy, it has always baffled me.

[imienazwisko.livejournal.com]

As someone with frequent suicidal thoughts since childhood I just want to say one thing. Why the first thing people say is 'dont do it' while asking 'why are doing this' seems more legit... And would probably make your kid open up too. Not at first but slowly? Some things seem like the end of the world when youre a kid and having an adult making an attempt to understand you would be great help...
There are many instances of parents blaming themselves for not noticing the changes in their kids and I guess that's where the idea for this app comes from? But it's still kinda...

[myrrhcat.livejournal.com]

i was hoping it would be something like an anonymous help line with text chat.

[dorawa.livejournal.com]

Literally a 13 year old 6th grader just committed suicide in my town... and this bullshit app is supposed to help? NO. Korea needs counselors or suicide hotlines more readily available, they need to start addressing mental illness and depression instead of sweeping it under the rug, they need to create a society in which bad grades or bullying or school rankings don't lead to a ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILD'S suicide. I'm so upset over this.