As Meta AI collaborated with UP police to prevent yet another attempted suicide, Adarsh takes you through all the details…
Since January 2023, Meta – the parent company of Instagram and Facebook – has been using its AI feature and working with Uttar Pradesh police in a bid to prevent suicides. In the latest such episode, Meta’s AI teamed up with UP police to prevent the suicide of a 21-year-old woman in Lucknow.
How her Life was Saved
It all started when the woman – a resident from a small village on Sultanpur Road in Lucknow – posted a video on her Instagram handle. In the video, the woman can be seen standing on a chair with a red-coloured dupatta tied from the ceiling fan to her neck and getting ready to commit suicide.
Within minutes of the video going live, Meta AI flagged it under the ‘distressed category’ and notified the police. On receiving the alert, the police promptly contacted the Nigoha Police Station which sent officers to the woman’s location within 4 minutes.
Image Credit: Meta AI
“It took around 4 minutes for the team, headed by Station-in-Charge Anuj Tiwari, to reach the given address. The team reached outside the woman’s house at 12.15 pm and rushed immediately inside her house and rescued her,” said Rajnish Verma, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mohanlalganj, talking to PTI.
Upon interrogation, it was learnt that the woman was in a love marriage with a 23-year-old man named Aman. They had been married in an Arya Samaj temple and had been living together for 4 months. But after 4 months, he had left her and refused to acknowledge their marriage which is what had driven her to suicide.
“A case has also been registered against the man for abetment to suicide. The video of the suicide attempt has also been deleted from the woman’s social media page,” added the ACP, who also confirmed that the woman’s condition is now stable.
Apparently, while the woman was preparing to commit suicide, even her family members were not aware of her actions. Police are in constant touch with the woman, who following her recovery has been counselled by female police offers.
How AI helps in Stopping Suicides
Image Credit: Meta AI
As mentioned earlier, this is not the first time that Meta AI has come to the rescue in preventing suicide attempts. Between January 2023 and August 2024, Meta AI has intervened and alerted the UP police in 740 such cases and has successfully saved 457 lives so far.
When such a video is posted on Instagram or Facebook, Meta’s AI promptly alerts the Social Media Centre at the Directorate General of Police (DGP) Headquarters. This centre is operational round the clock and they immediately process the alert and use the internet to locate the person’s location and other relevant details. This information is then shared with the nearest police station where officers promptly swing to action and successfully save lives.
“We take great satisfaction in having saved over 400 lives through our rapid response to alerts from Meta,” said DGP Prashant Kumar, talking to TOI. “Despite challenges like ambiguous locations or switched-off phones, our teams have worked tirelessly to reach those in need. This collaborative effort between law enforcement and technology has proven effective in saving lives and providing critical support during times of crisis.”
The Last Word
This news from UP is yet another example of how AI can be used for the good. As the DGP mentioned, such collaboration between technology and law enforcement can be the difference between life and death. It highlights the life-saving potential of AI when it is used responsibly and collaboratively.
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