Following in the footsteps of other social media platforms such as Facebook and Pinterest that have begun to take more responsibility for users’ mental health, Snapchat introduced a feature on Feb. 11 that will provide in-app support to users who search for flagged topics.
“Here For You,” which will be rolled out across the Snapchat platform in the next few months, will direct users to resources from local experts when they make searches related to topics such as anxiety, depression, stress, grief, suicidal thoughts and bullying, according to a Snap Inc. news release.
“Sometimes people come in and search for this kind of content, be it anxiety or depression,” Jen Stout, Snap’s vice president of global policy, told Fast Company. “Instead of being served up maybe nothing or meme accounts or something like that, we’re looking for a healthy alternative to provide young people with tools that would be readily available in the app.”
Similarly, in 2019, Pinterest launched several new features to combat health misinformation and support users’ mental health. Now, when users search for vaccine-related words, they will be shown only verified information from health agencies and medical associations; when they search for terms related to stress and anxiety, they will be prompted to conduct stress relief and self-compassion exercises.
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Source: Becker’s Hospital Review
