There are a number of ways to kill oneself and it makes sense that people would have a squizz in Google to find out the method that best suits them. Not me, I know the vibe I would go for if everything went tits up – the classic hosepipe from the exhaust into the car is how I would roll. With some Celine Dion playing, thank you very much!

But it turns out Google does have a conscience, as a search for “how to commit suicide” shows the following results:

This from the LA Times :

Google is an expert in helping you find a lot of things. Now it wants to help those contemplating suicide to get help rather than click on Wikipedia’s exhaustive entry on Suicide Methods.

When users type some suicide-related queries, Google guides them to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The search giant implemented the feature last week. It automatically displays a bright red, eye-catching telephone icon and the phone number for a suicide hotline atop search results for some queries that contain the word “suicide.”

“When somebody is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, they may benefit from calling a suicide prevention hotline,” a Google spokesman wrote in an e-mail. “This was created to help users quickly obtain useful information during a difficult time.”

This is a departure for Google, which prides itself on delivering the exact results users search for. Google added a similar widget for searches containing “poison control.” Accompanied by the green, tongue-extended picture of Mr. Yuk (remember him?), those results pages display the American Assn. of Poison Control Centers phone number.

[more here]

Ja, I kind of agree with those final sentiments. I mean, really, if Google was true to it’s vibe, it should give a comprehensive list of suicide techniques, with the pros and cons of each method laid out.

Like drowning – apparently this is quite a peaceful method? Or not?

Yahoo isn’t shy of getting into it.