Should suicide threats be treated the same as threats against another person and thus against imgflip TOS?

First off I'm not proposing simply deleting such posts and ignoring the ones who post because as Kylie said they very well might be seeking help and this is the way they've chosen to alert others.

In the past when I've seen these posts I read through the comments and try to see if the person is truly seeking guidance. Most of the time the result is a bunch of other kids commenting saying"don't do it" which is good or others saying "yea I knew how you feel, I want to kill myself too" or "go ahead" which is not good. And you'll see 50 or 100 comments of kids just joking around or going into roleplay mode. A few occasions you'll get someone asking if they need help, giving an encouraging word and asking if they want to talk about it. And these comments are usually ignored which leads me to believe they were doing it for attention.

So I propose the following for MODS:
1. Make sure your stream is set to approval only because kids sometimes post these in streams that aren't monitored and the above ensues and how is that helping the child?

2. If you do encounter such a post, genuinely ask if they need help, provide hotline number, see if they want to talk about it. If they ignore you and are just garnering more unhelpful comments then unfeature, don't delete. They can still reply to your comment and seek guidance if they wish in a private chat. This goes for anyone who comments saying they agree with the OP. Also see what's troubling them. (I have done this in private chats many times and usually once it's unfeatured they suddenly don't have the urge to kill themselves, other kids genuinely are grateful for the advice I give and I always follow up.)

3. Remind those commenting on such posts that only helpful comments should be made, no one should be making fun, further bullying, encouraging, joking about suicide. They should alert a MOD by flagging the post. I wish classes there was an option for flags to be sent to global MODS since many of these streams aren't monitored closely or are modded by kids.

4. Anyone starting a stream or promoted to MOD should have to agree to treat suicide containing posts accordingly and not feature if they've followed the above steps of asking the kid if they need help and talking to them. I don't think they should be featured because to me it just brings more drama than help. A MOD can comment on any unfeatured image that's been submitted and only the person submitting will see it.

It is tricky to deal with those submissions especially if you don't have the knowledge, time, or patience to deal with them. You don't want to have that feeling of being responsible if they do kill themselves, and you don't deserve to be put in that position. My suggestion if you are a stream mod and you come across one of those submissions, is to not feature it and send them a link to https://imgflip.com/m/Online_Therapists where there are people who do have the patience to help you through your problems. For submissions that are already featured in your streams, unfeature it under the wrong_stream category and write them a note suggesting they post it in https://imgflip.com/m/Online_Therapists . I've dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts before, even tried to hang myself once, so I am sympathetic to those issues and my door is always open for anyone who needs help.

"I wish classes there was an option for flags to be sent to global MODS since many of these streams aren't monitored closely or are modded by kids."

If you run into one of these posts on a stream that's not well modded or in one of the main streams, I would suggest sending the OP to https://imgflip.com/m/Online_Therapists and send me or AndrewFinlayson a link alerting us to the post. We'll decide what's the appropriate action to take with the post

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Do you know who MODS that stream? I hope you are one. As far as I know it's mostly run by kids too. I have a stream of just adult mods from this stream called Mentor Stream

RoryPig is the owner; Borderline, That_baseball_girl, and Ememeon are the mods over there that I'm aware of, I'm not a stream MOD over there. The Mentor Stream sounds like an interesting idea though, I'll check it out.

I don’t fully agree, but these are more reasonable suggestions.

I certainly have no problem with ImgFlip adopting a suicide awareness policy, especially anti-bullying on any such memes. MODs (Global or Stream) should feel empowered to delete those type of comments.

It’s a tricky subject. I think appropriate actions will vary by case, the nature of the comments, and based on how serious the threat appears to be. I’m not sure if one policy can cover all possible instances.

And I’m still not convinced it would ever be the right idea to delete or unfeature the meme entirely, which is what I took your initial proposal to be.

You and I as Stream MODs can certainly give “grown-up” advice, but the problem with unfeaturing the meme is that it would deprive the OP of potential to receive supportive comments from peers.

And seeing the “unfeatured” notification can be jarring, and easily mis-interpreted by the OP as an implicit message of disapproval and callousness. That’s not what someone needs to see if they’re asking for help.

As a MOD who's unfeatured images before with no problem or thought to the posters' feelings you should know there is an option to add a personal note before unfeaturing. I've done it before to such memes with the explanation that the discussion was not helping matters and I also commented on the meme before hand explaining and providing opportunity to talk with the OP.

Ouch! But I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about this time, lol.

All I can recall rejecting without explanation is some pantyman selfie submissions from SexStream after I had already told him once or twice why I was rejecting them.

I generally provide an explanation, but if I have no reason to suspect that someone is going through a rough time, then my attitude toward their content is going to be different.

Again, even with the option of adding a MOD explanation, I would think long and hard before ever unfeaturing or rejecting a post that called for help with mental health issues.

Kate, are you a teacher?

Yep, been in the classroom since I was probably your age when I started helping my mom teach Sunday school. Got my degree in education and have taught babies through adults, regular ed, special ed, public school, private school. Been there done that.

Cool.

So you're an army kid too, I was. It's not easy. I'm glad at least I didn't have to move around as much but it was tough not seeing my dad when he would go to camp.

I've moved 7 times. My dad gets deployed regularly. The longest he's been deployed is a year, in Afghanistan. He earned the bronze star while there.

Wow please thank him for me. And thank you. I hope you're good to your mom. It's stressful trying to raise kids on your own all the while worrying if your husband or wife will return safely. I have the utmost respect for military and their families. It's a shame they aren't provided for life when they retire. Shameful how the US treats veterans. I see too many of them homeless begging on the streets of my city some of them missing a limb. Sorry, that probably doesn't help you feel better. I just wish there was more I could do for them since my dad and granddad are/were veterans.

Yeah. Thank you. I have 4 siblings. My parents don't know I use imgflip, they know I look at memes but they don't know I use this website. My great-grandfather fought in WWII as part of an artillery unit.

I'm suggesting that suicide threats be added to the imgflip TOS as any other threats of violence and not be allowed on this site. Kids you know it's not the answer. And for Pete's sake are you going to let an upvote begging meme, a repost or stupid meme or the comments of anonymous users who know nothing about you determine your value and if you deserve to live? Come on, is this how your parents and teachers want you to be spending your free time? Is this the reputation you want to build for yourself? Someone who whines or wilts at every negative thing they find online? I think you guys need to spend less time on here, unless you're actually working for self improvement or trying to make this a fun place to be. If something is wrong TALK TO SOMEONE preferably in private and face to face with someone who actually knows you IRL, knows your struggles and can give relevant and helpful advice. Making a meme saying I'm not worth anything because someone doesn't like my memes, I'm going to delete my account, i'm going to kill myself is about the most immature way to function. Please just stop. End rant.

I'm sorry Kate. I needed some help and encouragement and I realize now that that was the wrong stream to post it in. If I need help I'll talk to you guys in the mentor stream.

No problem and i'm sorry I didn't mean to sound heartless, i hope i didn't but i really hate to see you kids upset and not getting the help you need. I hope the mentor stream will help you and others out.

Yeah. Do you know Syd in person? Sorry, kind of a random question.

Syd is cool. We've been friends for awhile and he's like a brother to me. He is gruff on the outside but has a good heart. We have not met in person but we talk quite a bit off imgflip.

Yeah. He's really nice to me, he complimented me on my politics memes :)

I’ve been through WAY more than that...

These posts are absolutely dripping in arrogance, condescension, and ignorance of mental health issues.

Your feelz on this issue are no good reason to stifle the free expression of those who might be having suicidal ideations, whatever the age, and turning wherever they know for comfort and support.

Please just stop!

End rant!

Look at the libtard deriding feelz. Isn't it ironic Alanis.jpeg

Really syd? Calling him a libtard hardly seems appropriate for a MOD in TTT. It is rather ironic I agree as he's unfeatured memes before without worrying about the posters feelings, not to mention past conversations we've had I'm not sure i'm the only one dripping in arrogance, condescension, and ignorance but that's none of my business.

Your latest replies are a lot more reasonable — but your first comment here, and the OP meme itself, came out guns blazing for “kids these days” so I felt like I had to speak up in their defense.

People can feel free to opine I’m arrogant when talking politics (who isn’t honestly?)

But when we’re talking about our fellow ImgFlippers and their mental health, I have a totally different view.

You know, you're more than welcome to help them out if you care about them so much. I've talked to at least a few people about their depression and my door is always open if they need advice or counseling. Can you say the same?

That's some harsh assumptions you just made there. I just don't like to go around publicizing the fact that I talk in private to kids all the time offering advice and trying to help them deal with whatever is stressing them out. I offer lots of comfort and support as any kid that knows me here can attest to. Read my follow up comment on how to address this and perhaps offer suggestions too rather than personally attacking me whom you don't know from Adam. I posed a question to this stream. Thanks for your input. Now let's work together. Shall we?

I didn’t know. Just seemed like you came out guns blazing against depressed kids.

I agree, let’s work together to comfort and help people out.

Thanks, I appreciate the help you've offered so far on the meme mentioned. Please feel free to offer more positive vibes in the stream I linked. I'm hoping the kids (and adults) will find it a safe space to turn to. And more allies we make in this endeavor the better for everyone. Thanks for your willingness.

Thanks, and the mentor stream is a great concept. I followed.

Vaga is over in that meme now spewing a bunch of hate

I obviously don’t care if he wants to whine at me on any of my memes, but in a meme where people are hurting and asking for help it’s really not appropriate

He won’t listen to me, but maybe you guys can get him to, if you care to try

I just asked him to move it elsewhere.

I've met people considering to commit suicide for real, and even some who actually did it. People threatening with suicide and those actually willing to do it, are two different things. And what can I do in over the internet? If you live in the U.S. there's an ocean between them, so what can I do to stop you? Yup, nothing at all.
Now I've consoled many people over the internet already. Maybe because you can't see me, and I can't see you is what makes people do so (as IRL people quite often avoid me). So maybe the internet can be a helpful place in the same time. This can of course be dangerous,as who can make sure I am the guy I claim to be?

Now if you want me to console you I will need to know more than "I feel miserable and I want to kill myself". I do often feel awkward seeing memes like that, but I guess a "therapist" stream where people can go to for these kind of things is a nice thing. The big challenge is indeed always to separate attention seekers and people who are for real... I really don't know...

What a load of horseshit, pardon my French

If someone is desperate enough to threaten suicide, in whatever context or format, including on ImgFlip, then they just might possibly be suicidal

How do you know that person is just doing it “for attention” or whatever other motives you’re prepared to attribute to them?

In my opinion, we should not fuel their very real feelings of self-doubt and worthlessness by deeming such a highly personal statement unfit for the site and deleting it.

I would not certainly want to find myself in the position of that MOD if someone were to actually follow through with killing themselves after a suicidal post of theirs was deleted.

People have really opened up with their own stories and raised awareness of mental health issues, and have been comforted in return.

ImgFlip is not the absolute best place for such discussions, perhaps, but many have formed friendships here, and feel most comfortable expressing personal thoughts here, and we should be conscious of that.

There are all sorts of reasons a kid might not feel comfortable going to a parent or a teacher with these thoughts. Maybe those authority figures *are* the source of abuse. And maybe they feel like they literally have no friends in which to confide in “real life.” (Though ImgFlip is a subset of “real life” too believe it or not, and we owe the same responsibilities communicating with others here as we do offline)

“Kids these days” are under pressures a lot of us either never went through or just can’t fathom.

Tread lightly around these subjects, because we never know what someone else is going through behind the screen or the screenname.

You have the right to advise them to seek counseling in real life, sure. But just wanting it deleted off the site because you suspect it’s attention begging?

That wasn’t very cash money of you.

All valid points thank you. Now what can we do to help these kids. What are you doing? I've been helping kids for months. I'm a certified teacher who's taught in public and private schools for more then a decade. I'm now working on a masters in counseling. I'm well aware of what kids are going through and I can tell you, a meme site isn't really helping but that doesn't stop me from trying to help anyone who posts something about depression or suicide. As far as anyone can see your main object here is to post pro porn material and argue in politics, then post links whining about anyone who disagrees with you. If you're so concerned about the kids here, maybe get out of your box and visit other streams and interact with kids encourage them see what's bothering them and if you see a suicide threat address it, as I have numerous times. I'm really not as heartless as you think.

I’m a lawyer. I sit in an office and take phone depositions all day, draft documents, and sometimes go to hearings. So I’m not working with kids on a daily basis. Nor do I volunteer for a suicide hotline or anything like that. I’m not getting my master’s in counseling.

All I do is exercise common sense and try to show humanity whenever I see a meme calling for help, which I have done several times now (not going to say to whom, but you get the idea).

I went and showed support to someone just now based on links you provided through your Mentor stream, so thank you for that.

My view is that there’s no hard and fast distinction between “a meme site” and real life. There are real people behind every online interaction, and we should be mindful of that.

I do use a tougher tone when discussing politics, as everyone here does, but I pretty much never resort to insults even when they’re being heaped on me. About the worst thing I ever call someone is dumb.

Is the office located on this site?

He's the flip's official probono attorney ;)