SAN MATEO (KRON) — A social media experiment by a San Mateo man led him to being detained for seventy two hours by authorities.
Shane Tusch, a citizen activist for privacy and free speech on social media, posted a personal and detailed warning about wanting to take his own life to his Facebook page.
“The post said that I made a decision to commit suicide over my stress of dealing with back of America from the Golden Gate Bridge to make a point,” said Tusch.
He claims he was not suicidal and that his post was only a social experiment to see how Facebook’s recently enhanced suicide prevention tools worked.
The San Mateo Police Department said a friend of Shane’s called them and was concerned for his safety. The department said it followed protocol and followed up with Tusch.
“It was less than a minute conversation, the hand cuffs went on,” said Tusch. “And you know, that was it — they transported me to the San Mateo County Mental Health Facility for a 72 hour hold.”
Tusch admits he is not much of a Facebooker and did not realize this would escalate as quickly and intensely as it did.
Tusch now wants others to be aware that what you put out there casually in cyber space could get you locked up for 72 hours.
Video interview here:
Social media experiment lands Peninsula man in mental health facility | kron4.com