MP: Google must investigate these suicide websites

AN MP has called for Google to investigate suicide websites after two people, including one from West Yorkshire, died in an internet pact.

Earlier this month an inquest at Chelmsford heard how Stephen Lumb, 35, from Sowerby Bridge, and Joanne Lee, 34, from Great Notley, near Braintree, Essex, took their own lives.

The pair, who were found dead near Braintree, had met in person just hours before their deaths after meeting online.

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They had made contact after Miss Lee posted comments on a suicide forum, asking for somebody to join her in taking her life.

Now Brooks Newmark, Conservative MP for Braintree, has written to Larry Page, chief executive of Google Inc, and Matt Brittin, chief executive of Google UK, asking them to review their policy on hosting suicide groups.

He said: “I have spoken to ministers and others about this issue over the past year, and I do appreciate the difficulties of monitoring the internet, and the importance of freedom of expression.

“Nonetheless, I remain concerned that groups such as the one that Joanne Lee used to find a partner and a method for her suicide remain active today.

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“I am aware that there are sites such as these hosted by the Google Groups domain, and I believe that this should be of significant concern to Google.

“I hope that Larry Page and Matt Brittin will now take the necessary steps to ensure that groups such as these are taken down, so that no other families have to suffer like Joanne Lee’s family.”

Charity the Samaritans has taken steps to ensure that its website has priority when people put certain keywords into search engines.

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