Samaritans continues to defend Radar Twitter app after backlash over safety concerns
Suicide charity Samaritans has been forced to issue a second statement defending its recently launched Radar Twitter app, after suffering a backlash from Twitter users concerned about privacy and safety issues.
Radar, which was launched earlier this week, notifies users if their friends are using language that indicates they are feeling depressed or suicidal and offers advice if the situation occurs.
However, yesterday the charity was compelled to post a release on its website to reassure Twitter users that Samaritans does not receive alerts about people’s tweets and the only people who will be able to see the alerts, and the tweets flagged in them, are followers who would have received these tweets in their current feed already.
Today Samaritans again took its website and issues a second statement to "emphasise" the fact that Radar has been in development, "for well over a year" and has been tested with several different user groups who have contributed to its creation, including young people with mental health problems, Samaritans' volunteers, social media platforms and other organisations.
The launch of the app comes ahead of a six-year strategy from the charity to create more digital communications.