The social network is also mirroring its parent company by introducing anonymous reporting for livestreams. If you see a live video where someone is depressed or otherwise struggling with mental health issues, you can report the feed -- the broadcaster will get a prompt offering mental health resources, such as help line contacts and an offer to talk to a friend. Instagram says it has response teams available 24/7, so there should always be someone who can help.

The additions are arguably overdue when Instagram has a huge user base -- now up to 800 million people, or 100 million more than it had less than half a year ago. Many people use Instagram as their main social network, and there have been many instances of abuse ranging from body shaming to stalking. These tools give you a way to keep that abuse in check without completely isolating your account, and should also counter the effects of that abuse when it slips through your defenses.