CALLED Samaritans Radar (samaritansradar.org), the app from the Samaritans charity wanted Twitter users to turn their "social net into a safety net".

It used an algorithm to 'read' tweets from your followers, searching for cry-for-help statuses that you might otherwise miss in the maelstrom of food porn pics and cat videos.

Radar then sent you an email when certain trigger words, or phrases like "need someone to talk to", were spotted possibly indicating a person is finding it hard to cope, and offered advice on what to do next.

The app was intended to "encourage people to look out for one another online, helping them to reach out and offer support", said Samaritans' Joe Ferns, but after less than 10 days online, the suicide-prevention group was forced to pull the plug, citing "serious concerns raised by some people with mental health conditions using Twitter".

A petition on Change.org had called for the "surveillance system" to be shut down saying it breached people's privacy by collecting and analysing tweets without consent. Plus, by letting them sign up and find out when their victims are at their most vulnerable, it gives stalkers or bullies an extra weapon in their arsenal of abuse.

As for identifying at-risk individuals, the app wasn't actually very effective. According to tests, not one out of 23 dangerous phrases including "I'm going to shoot myself" were picked up, which doesn't bode well for people who might think they can rely on the Radar for support.

It had a sarcasm problem too. Search "going to kill myself" and you'll as likely find tweets about the John Lewis Christmas ad as any serious suicide threats, but the app couldn't differentiate.

"Withdraw it now, and have a rethink," IT lecturer Paul Bernal had advised in a blog post, saying Samaritans wasn't doing the one thing it's meant to do best - listening.

But evidently they have listened to the feedback, saying the app has been suspended "for further consideration", and that they are "testing a number of potential changes and adaptations to the app to make it as safe and effective as possible for both subscribers and their followers".

Is that even possible? Critics are doubtful. Given that it's hard to imagine that the tool could be tweaked enough to make it acceptable to the deluge of detractors, it doesn't look like Samaritans will be back on the Radar any time soon.

THE ROYAL TWEET

The Queen has joined Twitter. Well, sort of. Her Maj sent her first ever tweet while on a visit to open the Science Museum, but chances are it will be her last. Posted via the @BritishMonarchy account, it read: "It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R." The monarch was photographed hitting send on the historic missive, but it seems she didn't actually write it herself. According to a photo tweeted by Baroness Martha Lane Fox, a museum employee called Chi was tasked with typing the Royal tweet, which has garnered more than 43,000 retweets.

FACES OF A KILLER

The six faces of "Facebook killers" have been revealed by researchers who have studied 48 cases of convicted killers who used the social network in relation to their crimes. Included in the rundown is the "reactor," who retaliates against something they've seen online - like Wayne Forrester who murdered his wife after she wrote on the site that she wanted to meet other men - the "predator" and the "imposter," who posts under someone else's name. That's not to say Facebook is at fault, however. "Facebook is no more to blame for these homicides than a knife is to blame for a stabbing," says Dr Elizabeth Yardley of Birmingham City University. "It's the intentions of the people using these tools that we need to focus upon."

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY

Music streaming service Spotify has unveiled "one of the most asked for features from our audience," says chief content officer Ken Parks. Spotify Family will allow up to four family members to share one billing account while keeping their playlists, history and recommendations completely separate. Rolling out across the world in "the upcoming weeks", the new family-sized account offers additional users 50% off the usual Spotify Premium charge of £9.99 a month. A small price to pay, one could argue, for respite from your pre-teen playing Taylor Swift's Shake it Off on repeat.

BROWSING AROUND... SHAKESPEARE

Rent or buy films of Shakespeare productions on the Globe's new online video platform - www.globeplayer.tv

The 10 most misquoted Shakespeare lines - tiny.cc/misquotes

The Complete Works of Shakespeare online - http://shakespeare.mit.edu

Act V, the This American Life episode following inmates at a prison as they stage the last act of Hamlet - tiny.cc/actv

Words and phrases first used by Shakespeare - tiny.cc/shakespearewords

THING OF THE WEEK

Indie band OK Go are back with another astonishingly clever music video, the umbrella-filled I Won't Let You Down - tiny.cc/okgo