For The Press

Covering suicide is never easy, but it’s very important to do it right. Research has shown that improper reporting on suicide can contribute to additional suicides and suicide attempts.

• Always include a referral phone number and information about local crisis intervention services. In online coverage, include links to prevention resources to help inform readers and reduce risk of contagion.
• The 988 Lifeline’s number, 988, connects the person to a contact center near where the call or text is placed.
• Avoid splashy headlines, such as ‘Kurt Cobain Used Shotgun to Commit Suicide.’ Instead, inform the audience without sensationalizing the suicide, e.g. ‘Kurt Cobain Dead at 27.’
• Don’t refer to suicide as “successful,” “unsuccessful,” or a “failed attempt.” Use “died by suicide,” “completed suicide,” or “killed him/herself.”
• Report on suicide as a public health issue, not a crime. Use language that conveys this such as “died by suicide.”
• Most people who die by suicide exhibit warning signs. Refrain from describing a suicide as “inexplicable” or “without warning.”
• Instead of describing the rate of recent suicides as an “epidemic,” or “skyrocketing,” carefully investigate the most recent Center for Disease Control data and use non-sensational words like “rise” or “higher.”
• Don’t include photos of grieving family, friends, memorials, or funerals.
• Don’t quote the suicide note or describe the method used.
• Avoid quoting police or other first responders about causes of suicide. Instead, seek advice from suicide prevention experts, like the 988 Lifeline.
• Develop policies and procedures for safe commenting and monitor for hurtful messages or comments from posters who may be in crisis. Consider posting the 988 Lifeline information in the first comment box in any story about suicide.

To learn more, visit reportingonsuicide.org.

Tool for Safe Reporting on Suicide

Save.org and Cisco have joined forces to support journalists and content creators to reduce the risk of suicide contagion that happens when reporting best practices are not followed. Explore it below.

Tool for Safe Reporting on Suicide

Social Media Guidelines

This free toolkit provides recommendations for supporting suicidal individuals on social media and digital communities.

 Support on Social Media Toolkit (PDF)

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