A Boston-based project is using predictive analysis technology to comb through social media posts in hopes of preventing suicide.
The opt-in Durkheim Project combines search technology with predictive analysis to estimate the suicide risk of an individual based on what he or she is posting on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Already in collaboration with Facebook, the Durkheim Project is currently gathering social media data from participating active duty military members and veterans.
The technology will analyze participants’ engagement on social networks: daily status updates on Facebook, chatter on Twitter, and structure changes and keywords on LinkedIn. Participants with Android phones can even opt-in their text messages for analysis. The system will gather that data and look for individual keywords that may indicate a high-risk for suicide, psychiatric illness or whether someone is completely fine. But since people are not always explicit in their intentions, the system will also look at other factors that might demonstrate a person’s level of agitation or use of painkillers.
Read this article on Mashable.com.
