Page 24 - AT

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Friday 13 december 2019
FCC votes to set up 3-digit suicide hotline number like 911

By MAE ANDERSON The new, shorter number
AP Technology Writer would likely lead to more
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal calls, which in turn would
regulators are setting up a mean more expenses
new three-digit number to for crisis centers already
reach a suicide prevention struggling to keep up. If
hotline in order to make the number of calls to the
it easier to seek help and hotline doubled, centers
reduce the stigma associ- would need an extra $50
ated with mental health. million a year to handle
Once it’s implemented, the increase, the FCC said,
people will just need to dial citing the federal agency
988 to seek help, similar to that funds the hotline, the
calling 911 for emergen- Substance Abuse and
cies or 311 for city servic- Mental Health Services Ad-
es. Currently, the National ministration.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline The FCC determined that
uses a 10-digit number, it would be better to have
800-273-TALK (8255). Call- a new number that’s only
ers are routed to one of for the hotline, rather than
163 crisis centers, where one that’s currently used
counselors answered 2.2 for other purposes, such as
million calls last year. 911.
A law last year required the Advocates say that hav-
Federal Communications ing a dedicated number,
Commission to study as- In this Aug. 11, 2019, file photo, a man uses a cell phone in New Orleans. Associated Press along with a message that
signing a three-digit num- mental health is of equiva-
ber for suicide prevention. lent importance as medi-
The FCC said in a report riod before the FCC moves ease Control and Preven- BTQ community. cal emergencies, could
that there is overwhelm- to an order. tion. There were 45,000 “More than 20 veterans die help reduce the stigma of
ing support for a three-digit The government’s action deaths in 2016. The report by suicide every day and calling the number.
number because it would comes as suicide rates noted that from 1999 to more than half a million “The three-digit number is
be easier for distressed have increased across the 2016, suicide increased LGBTQ youth will attempt really going to be a break-
people to get help. U.S. over the past two de- in every state except Ne- suicide this year alone,” through in terms of reach-
Thursday’s vote starts the cades, and dramatically vada. It also noted that sui- FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said. ing people in a crisis,” said
months-long process to so by more than 30% in cide rates are higher with “A shorter, simpler suicide Dwight Holton, CEO of
make that happen. The half of U.S. states, accord- at-risk populations, includ- hotline number could be a Lines for Life, a suicide pre-
next step is a comment pe- ing to the Centers for Dis- ing veterans and the LG- game-changer.” vention nonprofit. q

Facebook rebuffs U.S. AG over access to encrypted messages

By MATT O’BRIEN are dying, or being mo- Facebook has said that
Facebook is rebuffing ef- lested or whatever, but we people have the right
forts by U.S. Attorney Gen- cannot get in.” to private conversations
eral William Barr to give Law enforcement has long online and that compa-
authorities a way to read sought a way to read en- nies are already able to
encrypted messages. crypted messages that’s respond to government
The heads of Facebook- analogous to wiretaps for agencies when they re-
owned WhatsApp and phone calls. ceive valid legal requests.
Messenger services told Security experts, however, Facebook’s letter empha-
Barr and his U.K. and Aus- say that giving police such sized the many tools the
tralian counterparts that access makes messaging company has built to try
Facebook is moving for- insecure for everyone by to detect criminal and
ward with plans to enable creating vulnerabilities that other problematic activi-
end-to-end encryption on others can exploit. ties using signals from un-
all of its messaging servic- In Facebook’s response encrypted information.
es. Monday to Barr and other Barr said at a Wall Street
End-to-end encryption In this April 11, 2018, photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg authorities, Will Cathcart, Journal event on Tuesday
locks up messages so that listens to a question as he testifies before a House Energy and head of WhatsApp, and that there are benefits
not even Facebook can Commerce hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Stan Chudnovsky, head to encryption, such as to
read their contents. Associated Press of Messenger, said creat- secure communications
WhatsApp already uses ing such a “backdoor” for with a bank.
end-to-end encryption. Mark Zuckerberg, they in- justify their stance. law enforcement “would But he said the growth of
Facebook plans to extend sisted that precluding ac- Barr reiterated his concerns be a gift to criminals, hack- consumer apps with end-
that protection to Messen- cess by law enforcement in a speech Tuesday, call- ers and repressive regimes, to-end encryption, like
ger and Instagram Direct. could hinder efforts to pre- ing the encryption fight creating a way for them to WhatsApp and Signal,
Barr and other officials vent or investigate crimes. “one of our highest priori- enter our systems and leav- have aided “terrorist or-
had asked the company The letter repeatedly em- ties” and describing “an in- ing every person on our ganizations, drug cartels,
in October to hold off. In phasized the dangers of creasing number of horror platforms more vulnerable child molesting rings and
a letter to Facebook CEO child sexual exploitation to stories about how people to real life harm.” kiddie porn type rings.”q