Facebook is trialling a new feature in India, allowing people to have more control over their profile picture.

The new tool will allow users more control over who can download and share profile pictures, as well as features to easily add designs. Facebook said that having additional designs on profile pictures deter misuse. In their research, when someone adds an extra design layer to their profile picture, other people are at least 75% less likely to copy that picture.

Facebook wrote in a post noting that not all users feel safe adding a profile picture.

“In India, we’ve heard that some women choose not to share profile pictures that include their faces anywhere on the internet because they’re concerned about what may happen to their photos.” Facebook wrote.

These tools were developed in partnership with Indian safety organisations, including Centre for Social Research, Learning Links Foundation, Breakthrough and Youth Ki Awaaz.

People in India will start seeing a step-by-step guide to add an optional profile picture guard. The guard prevents others to download, share or send profile pictures in a message on Facebook. The new tool also prevents users that are no friends on Facebook to tag anyone, including themselves, in the profile picture.

Facebook is also attempting to stop others from taking a screenshot of profile pictures on Facebook, although the functionality is noted to be available in Android only at the moment. A protected profile will get a blue border and shield around the profile pictures.

If someone suspects that a picture marked with one of these designs is being misused, they can report it to Facebook and we will use the design to help determine whether it should be removed from our community.

Although piloting first in India, Facebook is hoping to roll it out in other countries soon after.