This policy applies to questions, answers, comments, posts, Space names, Space descriptions, and Space details.
We take two different types of action on self-harm/suicide content: (1) We delete content about self harm/suicide that violates our policies and (2) We add a banner to content that discusses self-harm/suicide without violating our policies. More details below.
(1) We delete Spaces/content items that violate our self-harm/suicide policy: Our self-harm policy prohibits content that asks for, or provides, advice on how to self-harm or commit suicide. The policy also prohibits content that encourages others to self-harm or commit suicide, as well as content that promotes eating disorders. When content/Spaces are flagged or reported as Self Harm and meet this criteria, they are deleted and the author or Admin receives a notification. Content that meets this criteria should be labeled “Self-harm-promote” (which will lead to deletion). See examples of policy violating content below.
(2) Add a Banner to Spaces/content related to self-harm/suicide when it complies with our self-harm/suicide policy: Our self-harm policy allows for all other discussions about self-harm/suicide (including users seeking help) as well as eating disorders, so long as the content doesn’t violate the policy described above. We tag all other content that's related to self harm with a banner using the "Self-harm-mention" label in the queue. "Self-harm-mention" content/Spaces are not considered Policy Violating and will not receive any negative scoring in ROS.
Content/Spaces asking for or providing advice on details about how to commit suicide/self-harm.
Example: What is the cheapest, most painless, and easiest way to commit suicide?
Example: How can I cut myself without my parents finding out?
Example: What different methods of self-harm are the best?
Example: What are good places to hide your self harm razor blades?
Example: How can I acquire a tanto for seppuku? (OP shows intent because they are seeking a weapon for self-harm)
Example: How can I participate in the Blue Whale challenge? (context; OP shows intent to participate in a self-harm challenge)
Example: How do I commit suicide with carbon monoxide to ensure that I actually die and not just cause health problems and harm to myself?
Example: Can you slay me with no pain? How can I hire someone to shoot me? I'll be indebted the whole life to him/her.
Example (comment): I did my research, and the best way to commit suicide is by hanging yourself.
Example (answer): I’ve researched the best ways to kill yourself, and they are ... [descriptions follow]
Example: (Space name) Methods of Committing Suicide
Example: (Space description) A place to discuss how to best kill yourself
Example: (Space details) This space is for people to discuss how to kill yourself, best methods for doing so, and anything else related.
Example: (Space url) killyourself.quora.com, howtokillyourself.quora.com
Content/Spaces that encourage or glorify suicide/self-harm either generally or towards a specific individual.
Example: Can you share pictures of your self harm scars?
Example: Why does self-harm feel good?
Example: Why have wives stopped practicing such a courageous and heroic act like sati? (OP glorifies the act of self-immolation by calling it courageous and heroic)
Example: Should John Smith just commit suicide?
Example: How long would it take you to commit suicide right now?
Example: Wouldn’t it put you out of your misery if you just committed suicide?
Example (comment): Killing yourself is the only honorable solution.
Example (comment): Your answer was so stupid you should just go kill yourself.
Example (answer): If you want to become famous, I think that the best path is to do something really good or cool and then kill yourself, because you’ll become a martyr.
Example: (Space name) Helping you commit suicide
Example: (Space description) A list of all the best ways people have killed themselves and become famous
Example: (Space details) If you want to kys but are struggling to actually do it, this is the space for you. (note: kys stands for “kill yourself”)
Example: (Space url) choosesuicide.quora.com
Content/Spaces stating intent to commit suicide or self harm and providing details on how they are going to do it, when they are going to do it, or any other details.
See our escalation criteria here.
Example: Why am I still here? I am going to lock myself up in the bathroom. Take a bath and start cutting myself. It’s a very relaxing way to end this torture.
Example: Jumping from a 12th floor seems fun. I can’t wait to try it. Anyone know more ways of dying I should try instead?
Example: That’s it. I’ve been thinking on when to end my misery and I decided that next February I’ll kill myself. Anyone have any tips on how to do it exactly?
Example: Can I die after taking 532,880mg paracetamol all at once? And will I die within 8 hours of taking 532880mg paracetamol? Please reply to me fast. I planned to die tomorrow. I wanna know the answer before that.
Content/Spaces promoting, glorifying, or attempting to recruit others to participate in known suicide/self-harm challenges
Examples (list is not all-exhaustive):
The MoMo challenge
The Blue Whale challenge
Content/Spaces promoting eating disorders
Content/Spaces glorifying, soliciting advice, or providing instructions on how to perform harmful actions associated with eating disorders (e.g., pro-ana and/or pro-mia tips)
Example: “What are your best pro-ana tips?"
Example: “You should strive for under 500 cals a day and snap your wrist with a rubber band every time you are hungry”
Example: “Drink salt water to induce nausea and then stick your fingers down your throat. This will help you lose the weight in no time.”
Example: “You should try to starve yourself, here is a pro-ana diet that helped me stick with it. You start with 500 calories a day and reduce it to 100 a day by day 5, then fast for a day and repeat"
Note: While some weight loss and dieting advice often shows similarities to, or contains overlaps with content promoting eating disorders (such as calorie restriction, fasting, etc.), only content that is clearly promoting eating disorders (e.g., advocating for extreme and unhealthy actions associated with eating disorders, such as severe and prolonged calorie restriction, starvation, self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, etc., or explicitly listing terms associated with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, mia, ana, etc. alongside with promoting the behavior) should be considered under this policy.
Content/Spaces discussing whether or not to commit suicide/self-harm
Example: I’m reaching a point in my life where I want to die. Should I end it?
Example: Is suicide a solution? Should one commit suicide?
Example: What should I do if I want to self-harm?
Example (comment): I relate to this so much — I often think about suicide.
Example (answer): I’ve fantasized about committing suicide, and I think about whether I should do it or not every night.
Example: (Space name) Deciding on Suicide
Example: (Space description) A place for people to discuss their thoughts on suicide
Example: (Space details) This space is for people who are contemplating suicide or self-harm
Example: (Space url) suicide.quora.com, exploringsuicide.quora.com
Content/Space discussing how to cope with suicidal thoughts/self-harm.
Example: How do I get rid of the feeling of suicide?
Example: How do I stop self-harming?
Example (comment): I think like this all the time! How do I handle these feelings?
Example (answer): I’ve been plagued with suicidal thoughts since I was a teen. Here are some things that have helped me ...
Example: (Space name) Dealing with Suicidal Thoughts
Example: (Space description) learning to live with suicidal thoughts
Example: (Space details) Here, we will talk about how we tackle our demons of suicidal thoughts
Example: (Space url) suicidaldemons.quora.com, thinkingofsuicide.quora.com
Content/Spaces discussing suicide/self-harm recovery.
Example: How do I hide self-harm scars on my hand?
Example: My suicide attempt failed. What should I do now?
Example (comment): It took me three years to stop regretting that my suicide attempt failed.
Example (answer): After my hospital stay, my therapist began working with me to stop cutting and also handle the urge to just make a deep cut and end it all.
Example: (Space name) Suicide Recovery, Life After a Suicide Attempt
Example: (Space description) Exploring the path after a suicide attempt
Example: (Space details) Did you survive a suicide attempt? Are you a recovering cutter? This space is for you.
Example: (Space url) lifeaftersuicide.quora.com, suiciderecovery.quora.com
General Content/Spaces discussing suicide and self-harm.
Example: Why do people self-harm?
Example: What do people think when they see self-harm scars?
Example: When did you start self-harming and why?
Example: Is self-harm a cry for help?
Example (comment): I think veterans are more likely to commit suicide than the average person.
Example (answer): When my mother committed suicide, it took me months to ...
Example: (Space name) Self-Harm Resources, Suicidal Thoughts
Example: (Space description) Providing resources for those contemplating suicide
Example: (Space details) Support group for people recovering from self-harm behaviors or suicide attempts
Example: (Space url): selfharmresources.quora.com
This also includes content/Spaces about historical incidences of suicide/self-harm and cultural phenomena that involve self-harm, as long as they don’t glorify the act. Common examples of these acts are: self-immolation for political or religious reasons, and seppuku.
Example: Is sati still practiced in India? (sati is self-immolation practiced by Hindu widows)
Example: Why do some modern Hindus and many Rajputs still glorify Sati and Jauhaur? (this question does not glorify Sati and Jauhaur, rather, it is asking why some people do)
Example: Was the Japanese emperor expected to commit seppuku after admitting defeat in WW2?
Example: What blade is used to commit seppuku? (this is strictly asking for the facts)
Example: What are the origins of the Blue Whale challenge?
Example (comment): That’s why sati is still in practice.
Example (answer): The Blue Whale challenge originated when ...
Example: (Space name) Famous people who killed themselves
Example: (Space description) A collection of stories about suicide
Example: (Space details) This space is for exploring the history behind seppuku and other ritual suicide practices
Example: (Space url) sati.quora.com, seppuku.quora.com, suicidalhistory.quora.com
Content/Spaces discussing eating disorders
Content/Spaces that discuss eating disorders, as long as they do not promote the behavior. This includes general discussion, as well as tips and support for overcoming eating disorders
Example: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-root-causes-of-an-eating-disorder
Example: https://www.quora.com/Is-there-an-hope-in-recovering-from-an-eating-disorder
Example: https://www.quora.com/What-are-common-misconceptions-about-eating-disorders
Example: https://www.quora.com/Why-are-pro-Ana-and-pro-MIA-websites-harmful
Example: https://www.quora.com/Do-you-think-Pro-Ana-pro-anorexia-websites-should-be-il
Example: https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-eating-disorder-And-how-to-know-if-you-have-eating-disorder
Content/Spaces stating intent to commit suicide or self harm. The following scenarios should not be deleted. Instead, the Suicide Banner will be added.
See our escalation criteria here
Statements of intent without providing details on when or how to do it.
Example (comment): I feel so alone and ashamed, I want to kill myself.
Example (answer): I am going to try to kill myself. That’s all. Have a good year.
Example: I’m just here to ask something. I’m 14 years old and want to commit suicide to stuff I don’t feel comfortable about saying, but someone said that if I die at my age I will have a guaranteed chance of going to heaven. Is this true?
Statements of intent with a seek for help
Example: Can you guys help, I feel like hurting myself because my ears, eyes, jaw and head keeps hurting frequently and it could be because of my ears. My parents won't take me to a doctor, I don't know what to do. It's a torture, how can I fix this problem? (statement of intent by saying “I feel like hurting myself”, but at the same time the user is asking for help)
Example: Wanting to die not because I'm depressed. I want to die because I want to be at peace. I don't want to want but I do. I want endless peace or just plain nothingness. What should I do if I feel this way?
Self Harm and Suicide content that needs deeper investigation due to an imminent risk of danger for the original poster should be escalated to Product Operations & Support.
When in doubt, always choose to escalate
If the team encounters content where there is an imminent risk of suicide or self harm (e.g. the OP’s life might be in immediate danger), please flag this content to us via this reporting form in order for us to take the appropriate action: https://form.asana.com/?k=cNx87Rg1EANq06St2rQQFA&d=311773678927 (this form can also be accessed at the Go link: go/selfharm). This content should also be labeled accordingly as “Self-harm-promote” or “Self-harm-mention” in the queue based on the existing guidelines.
Imminent risk includes:
Clear intention to commit self harm or suicide, regardless of the user specifying when they are going to commit the act.
If the self harm or suicide seems imminent, or it is “scheduled” for a specific date and/or time, regardless of how long in the future is, escalate to us.
Examples:
That’s it. I’ve been thinking on when to end my misery and I decided that next February I’ll kill myself. Anyone have any tips on how to do it exactly?
I am so sick of my life. I’m just going to go ahead and end it. Don’t try to stop me, but please, I just want to know a quick way to end it. Please help.
I can’t take this anymore. I lost my job, then my family, and tomorrow I’m releasing from this pain and ending my life. Who can support me while I do it?
Someday I will strangle myself. Life is too hard. Who agrees?
I have finally gathered the courage to end my life. Next Friday will be my last day here.
If the user specifies how they are going to commit suicide or self harm, escalate to us.
Examples:
Why am I still here? I am going to lock myself up in the bathroom. Take a bath and start cutting myself. It’s a very relaxing way to end this torture.
I’m going to cut myself with a razor blade until I bleed out.
Jumping from a 12th floor seems fun. I can’t wait to try it. Anyone know more ways of dying I should try instead?