Quantum solution for teenage suicides

Digital screen time, an average of 53 hours per week for teenagers, is a growing concern. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among 10-24-year-olds. Rates have trebled in the last decade, with the rising use of social media and the internet. 

The issue is real and we have not done enough at this rapidly deteriorating global issue. If technology is the cause of the deterioration, can technology help solve the issue too?

The challenge, the data scale, and size is too huge for identification, response, remediation, and addressal. Our solution proposes a quantum-based approach to help in the prevention of teenage suicide; it proposes the idea of a quantum algorithm to potentially save millions of lives a year.

Teenage suicide has been a perpetual global problem but has accelerated (trebled in the last decade in some countries). We need to act now since the future of our communities and our children is dependent on the outcomes. A major causation can directly be linked to the increasing use of technology and its well-researched derivations of corresponding mental health issues. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing

Globally teenagers aged 15-19 account for 7.4 suicides per 100,000. India accounts for 17.8 percent of all reported with 381 suicides DAILY for the year 2019 alone out of which 67% were teenagers. 

 I have personally been impacted growing up as a teenager with 2 people I knew, who took this drastic step. Intelligence, smart and good human beings but hid their disturbances well. There has to be a way to help such people. My solution defines the problem and proposes an approach of using technology to solve it - real-time. 

The sheer pervasive nature of technology and the gigantic scale of data we are producing has emotive intelligence buried inside of it. Analysis of sentiment, behavioral patterns, and predictive algorithms are now standard in most online models

 We need massive-scale computers for ingesting, analyzing, and predicting. Our current binary-based computing approaches make it almost impossible to handle the scale and speed of data. Quantum computing has an answer. Still in its infancy, the sheer speed and power that it will provide clubbed with our growing use and understanding of algorithms is the approach we explore. From the content we consume driven by interest maps to the products that we buy based on predictive and recommendation algorithms  to the friends social networks suggest us to make. We are now being constantly manipulated by algorithms. 

Instead of using our knowledge of algorithms to manipulate social media recommendation feeds, why not use it to solve something that affects families every year. And what’s better than using technology that’s exponentially faster than any computer on the planet today.

My solution targets the generation that grew up on online interactions and social media. Their lives are seen as ‘monotonous’ when compared to the influencers they see online. 

Teenagers are exposed to views before they even have a clear picture of the problem. They have little to no supervision online, which allows them to explore anything and everything from people with super-fast cars and huge mansions to those with nothing at all. 

When it comes to this, of course they’ll focus on those that have better lives than them, which leads them to hate their own lives. Due to the lack of supervision, they require some sort of indicator to tell them that they’re going too far down the rabbit hole. Mental health issues often start as a small insecurity based on something one doesn’t have and then grows into a large, gaping hole in a person’s heart. 

This need of supervision can be presented in the form of a quantum algorithm, controlled by a quantum computer, that can identify when a teenager starts to have these issues and, based on the level of depression detected - if it’s a low level, the user’s algorithm is changed. If it’s a higher level, a parent/authority will be contacted.

The pandemic increased browsing times from a few hours a day to more than 10. Since teenagers have nothing to do nowadays, they spend 14 hours on their devices, whether they're doing productive work or just browsing social media. Either way, this amount of time spent online is unhealthy. 

It gives way to tons of distractions and a user can even end up blaming themselves for losing focus. They often show these signs of blaming themselves in the form of songs, YouTube videos, etc since they have nothing else to turn to in lockdown.

The quantum computer is currently still in its infancy - the algorithms that require it to show a clear advantage over the computers of the modern world require millions of qubits, the quantum computing equivalent of bits. However, the largest quantum computer in the world has less than 100 perfect qubits. 

Thus, my solution represents a theoretical concept that presents potential solutions when the world has the resources to achieve this computational power.

The AI and Machine Learning algorithms today are either unable to collect enough data or unable to detect suicidal tendencies fast enough. In this life or death situation, speed is of utmost importance - it can be the deciding factor between the two. If all the modern technologies have been explored and none of them have been able to work well enough to detect a problem, why not turn to a promising futuristic technology?

If a modern solution was to match the power of a quantum computer, thousands of GPUs would have to run in parallel and relay information between themselves, which is extremely inefficient and expensive. One computer can replace all these systems and use our knowledge of algorithms to mitigate internet-provoked suicide. If this solution were to be implemented, it would potentially save millions of lives and save millions of others from various mental health issues. This global scale of quantum computing, again, can’t even be matched by the world’s fastest supercomputer.

Currently the solution is in its theoretical and conceptual state. In five years time when quantum computing technology is available, I propose to prioritize this solution for citizen services with the cooperation of government bodies and large social media and internet organizations. The potential to protect all the people on the internet in 5 years time is the scope and range of this  concept

Firm up the algorithms - 2/3 years

Collaborate with large quantum computing organizations to pitch the concept - 2 years

Find out about government programs and agencies that will fund the concept - 2 years

Have a working prototype of the solution - 4/5 years

Right now its just me but I hope to raise consciousness about the issue and pitch my solution and hope to have a lot of individuals and organizations collaborating on the idea in a year or two

I am a student, and its an idea that has a base level connection. The intent and impact of the solution is huge and I am seeking help and support in any manner possible to have the idea see the light of day

I propose to use an open source model with government agencies leading the contributions while the open source community provides the execution capability. For the hardware to run it, I would look forward to the generosity of major quantum computing organizations, research labs, Universities and think tanks to contribute and collaborate to make the idea real.

To get a broader exposure to the idea, and hope for the opportunity to have more people involved to collaborate. Solve 2021 is the ideal stage to pitch the idea given the kind of audience that it attracts and that is exactly what the idea needs at this point.

Looking for contributions in 

Expertise - Internet, large tech, research labs, universities

Funding - to setup the group that forms the core to collaborate

Talent - Research organizations, think tanks, universities, government agencies

Hardware - Tech companies and research organizations working on quantum computers

Regulatory - Government agencies to navigate the legal and regulatory needs 

Large internet companies, social organizations, human welfare agencies, other government agencies, Universities, labs, research organizations, think tanks, pro-bono legal organizations and agencies, open source communities.

It is an idea that will get started with the price grant and the concept fits the purpose and intent of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and the principles it has been established with