Coroner calls on Google and Amazon to act after British woman’s suicide::Chloe Macdermott researched suicide methods on a forum and bought lethal substance online from US

  • jet@hackertalks.com
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    11 months ago

    This is the classic, we want to control information so that only painful and tragic exit methods are known about by the general public.

    I.e. Paternalistic gatekeeping suicide is a sin.

    • OtterA
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      11 months ago

      That assumes that the person was going to die regardless, while in reality lots of people can and do get the support that they need. This is different from medically assisted dying.

      Hiding information doesn’t help, but encouraging support and controlling the market for the poisons can help.

      “Suicide is a sin” isn’t the only reason we support those dealing with the issues, even if that might be the motivation of people in some places.

      • jet@hackertalks.com
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        11 months ago

        Helping people, yes

        Giving people options, yes

        Showing people a better way, yes

        Removing options, gatekeeping

        Restricting information, gatekeeping

        • OtterA
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          11 months ago

          Removing options, gatekeeping

          There’s some nuance here too

          Say barriers on bridges and high areas that the public can access. It’s removing an option yes, but it might be enough friction to stop the person till they can receive the help they need

          • jet@hackertalks.com
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            11 months ago

            I concede the benefit of barriers to prevent accidents, or to discourage people from jumping from this point right here. Delaying the impulse. We don’t deny people the knowledge of gravity, and we don’t legistate the removal of high places. If someone really wants to jump they have options, hiking to a cliff etc.

            Let’s say there is a magic pill, that is painless, no side effects, etc. let’s say we made this available for people’s pets in pain, but not for humans in pain. In this fictional universe the gatekeeping of “enough pain” to justify a dignified and self selected exit is a net evil. As long as a human has agency they should have a choice without officials gatekeeping their knowledge. (I.e. we shouldn’t nanny adults)

          • unrelatedkeg@lemmy.sdf.org
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            11 months ago

            I don’t think the main point of the barriers is preventing suicide specifically, but safety in general. Preventing suicide is more of a bonus.

      • HelixDab2@lemm.ee
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        11 months ago

        That assumes that the person was going to die regardless, while in reality lots of people can and do get the support that they need.

        Lots, but not the majority. Most people simply have to live in misery, because help is usually paywalled, or delayed badly by funding cuts to public health. Restricting the means to commit suicide without also making help fully accessible to everyone that needs it, and available when they need it, increases suffering.

  • Wrench@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Yes. Let’s burn all the books too in case someone does something bad with that knowledge. And ban everything but soft pillows from being sold in any store.

    What a stupid fucking coroner.

  • CashewNut 🏴󠁢󠁥󠁧󠁿@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    It was probably sodium nitrite. There’s been an increasing number of people using it to exit as it’s used in meat seasoning. In the UK you can only buy quite low concentration bulk packets.

    • ikidd@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      The UK would try to ban nitrogen because it can be used to commit suicide. No more Guinness at the pub I guess.

    • cinabongo@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Early last year I was almost able to buy it in high concentration from apc pure, but did not have a good lie lined up when they asked me why I was purchasing it. Seems like it’s no longer available, but I bet it can be got with some effort.

  • N00dle@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Feels like such a reach. I have no love for Amazon but what are they supposed to do here? Ask you at check out “Are you trying to commit suicide with these items?” Typing is most keywords for suicide and Google pops up with suicide prevention info on top screen already. People who want to do something will find a way.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    11 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Google and Amazon must act after a British woman made a suicide pact with two people she met online and bought the poison that killed her on the internet, a coroner has said.

    Chloe Macdermott, 43, died on 23 May 2021 after buying a lethal substance from the US on Amazon.

    She had been struggling with her mental health for several years before she began researching ways to end her life on an online forum, an inquest at inner west London coroner’s court was told this month.

    The coroner Paul Rogers recorded a conclusion of suicide and issued a prevention of future deaths report to Google and Amazon, saying he believes they have the power to prevent another similar tragedy.

    Posts are made by users containing details of methods of suicide without any effective administration to remove such harmful content.”

    The availability of the poison online and the ability of Britons to have it delivered from the US “without effective border and/or custom controls” was also a matter of concern, Rogers said.


    The original article contains 411 words, the summary contains 172 words. Saved 58%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • trackcharlie@lemmynsfw.com
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    11 months ago

    Grow the fuck up. What idiot coroner thinks that an individuals personal decision to end their life is literally anyone elses fucking responsibility?

    Should have their license pulled for being this much of a fucking idiot.