Founded in 2013, the movement's aim is "presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction and self-injury".

[1] While they are devoted to achieving lower suicide rates in the U.S. and worldwide, they do not themselves practice psychiatry, and the staff are not trained mental health professionals.

Rather, the group recommends contacting emergency hotlines (e.g. 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) or seeking mental health professionals.

People have started uploading photos of their own semicolon tattoos through social media to support the movement, gaining attention from a variety of mainstream news outlets.

Published by HarperCollins, it is a compilation of stories and photos shared within Project Semicolon's online community.

[13] To commemorate the 2017 premiere of 13 Reasons Why, a suicide-themed Netflix drama series, co-executive producer Selena Gomez and cast members Alisha Boe and Tommy Dorfman received semicolon tattoos on their wrists.