Established in 2021, the center uses artificial intelligence (AI) for comprehensive emergency response, monitoring 900 CCTV cameras across 17 of Seoul’s 21 pedestrian-accessible Han River bridges. Beyond suicide prevention, its most frequent task, the center also handles criminal tracking, traffic accidents and drug enforcement.
…
Much of that credit goes to AI, which triggers an alarm if an object identified as a person remains for more than 300 seconds in a bridge’s “loitering zones,” sections where people are able to stand for extended periods.
There’s also the issue of adaptation. There’s articles now explaining this technology which means if I’m in South Korea and I want to jump off a bridge I know I’ll have to do it quickly or otherwise they’ll come and get me. For some this might be the added pressure they need to go through with it.
Ultimately the best way to prevent suicide is to make life worth living and provide support for those who are in a mental health crisis. Neither of those things are going well in SK and AI surveillance won’t fix that either.
Or don’t go to a bridge?
Bridge jumpers aren’t usually the ones that just walk off the edge with zero hesitation.
good point.