Redditors will be sent the message if other users flag them as struggling with troublesome thoughts. The service is also available to those that report someone else, since doing so can bring up difficult emotions in itself. The trained crisis counselor on the other end will message back and forth with the redditor for as long as they need, via a secure online platform. The service is free, and available 24/7.

The initiative joins a number of others already operational across the web. Facebook, for example, has been developing its AI suicide prevention tools since 2017, while Instagram launched a range of similar support measures back in 2016.