silver bullet #3
facebookは日本語版「自殺防止ツール」が29日にアップデートされたことを発表しました。
Facebook rolls out suicide alert system for users in Japan
Facebook is joining efforts to reduce Japan’s high suicide rate, creating a way for those in despair to be noticed and given a sympathetic ear.
On Wednesday the social network provider created a tool that lets users sound an alarm on posts that appear to show the writer is at the end of their tether.
Facebook users in some markets have been able to do this since 2011, but only now is it being made available in Japan.
A reader of a post who suspects self-harm is imminent can press a V-shaped symbol on the upper right-hand corner to report their concern, then click on another button to help the friend.
The user is then invited to try to change the person’s mind. Options include sending a direct message, consulting another Facebook friend or reading advice from experts on what to do.
The writer of a post that has been reported will see a special page telling them that someone is caring about them the next time they log in.
They are referred to websites of support groups and given a phone number to call. They are also invited to send a message to a close Facebook friend to talk about their situation.
（中略）
Revisions to the suicide prevention law were enacted in April. This obliges municipalities to draft concrete plans to address the issue and help universities better teach future health professionals about suicide prevention.
Facebook’s engagement with suicide prevention is “extremely important,” Yasuyuki Shimizu, head of suicide prevention nonprofit organization Lifelink, said Thursday.
The social networking service is popular among young people.
“People who consider committing suicide are not always determined to do so. If they learn about available support, I believe some of them would change their minds,” Shimizu said.
“The advantage of SNS could be its ability to directly reach people who really need help,” he said. “But, of course, there is no silver bullet to prevent suicide.”
今回取り上げるのはsilver bulletです。文字通りには「銀の弾丸」ではありますが、もちろんそれではおさまりません。
『ジーニアス英和辞典』（第五版、大修館書店）で調べると「（主に米）問題解決の特効薬、確実な解決策」とありました。また「magic bulletともいう」とあります。このフレーズはヴァンパイアをしとめるのに、銀の弾丸を使うという俗信から由来しているそうです。
現代ではどのようなヴァンパイアの退治法があるのか気になりネットを見てみると、「心臓に杭を打つ」、「銀の弾丸は狼人間に効く」など様々な方法、道具が紹介されていました。
Oxford dictionaries.com.でも“A bullet made of silver, supposedly the only weapon that could kill a werewolf”という俗信的な定義と、“A simple and seemingly magical solution to a complicated problem.”「解決策」の両方の定義が載っていました。
上記のことから「どんなにSNSのツールが発展しても、自殺を完全に阻止できる方法は無い」とコメントされていることがわかります。
しかし、このような機能の追加で少しでも多くの人の命が助かれば幸いだと思いました。(flyingbird)
