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Table 2 Classification of participants’ behaviors towards the original message

From: Dying online: live broadcasts of Chinese emerging adult suicides and crisis response behaviors

Behaviors

Participant type

Translated examples

Offering care and showing empathy

Active audience

Case 1: “I hope this stranger is just unable to get over only for a while. Please think about your family and your friends. How miserable they will be if you committed suicide”. “Suicide is an irresponsible way to yourself and the people who love you”.

Peers

Searching useful information, calling for information and help

Active audience

Case 1: “His IP and telephone show that he is in Yulin. Call the police now.”

Peers, police

Case 4: “Anyone in Chengdu happens to know the suicide broadcaster? Call the police immediately!”; “The policeman called me again but I really don’t know the situation.”

Making cynical or indifferent comments, “like” and incitement

Active audience

Case 3: “She must do this (referring to the suicidal behaviors on Weibo) for fame”, “God knows?!”

Case 5: “Why are you (referring to the suicide broadcaster) still alive?”

Case 6: “This person deserves to die.”

Expressing shocked feelings

Active audience

Case 1: “Horrible! I could not fall asleep tonight.”

On-site rescue actions

Peers, Parents, Police

All the 6 cases: Rush to the suicidal location for rescue