If someone has posted intimate photos or videos of you online, you now have strong legal tools to force platforms to remove them, whether the media is authentic or an AI-generated deepfake.
Tuesday marks the start of full enforcement of the Take It Down Act, which legally requires online platforms — social media, messaging, and photo-sharing or video-sharing apps — to implement procedures to remove such content in response to valid takedown requests.
Signed into law in 2025, the Take It Down Act was written in response to the proliferation of AI-generated and digital pornography. The law, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, also applies to unapproved real-life photos shared online.
The FTC has no direct responsibility for the removal of content. Affected individuals should first report the images to the forum administrator using the tools on the forum site. The agency will collect reports about platforms that do not comply with the law’s removal requirements, and may use those reports to support enforcement.
The FTC allows people to report non-consensual intimate photos involving themselves or their children. Reports may also be sent on behalf of the victim with their consent.
The agency also recommends reporting such incidents to local law enforcement and the FBI’s online tip when appropriate.
Representatives for the FTC referred CNET to its press release and did not comment further.
How to apply for Take It Down
If someone has stolen your intimate photos online, the first step is to report the content directly to the platform using its built-in inspection tools.
On platforms like Instagram and X, you can tap the three-dot menu on a post to access reporting options and select a category related to inappropriate or sexually explicit images.
The FTC’s Take It Down Act has a website where you can file a report if sites have not removed objectionable pornography.
Every platform should have the same reporting tools. The new rule mandates that the platform must remove images within 48 hours of a valid report.
If the platform fails to report inappropriate intimate photos, or if the reporting tools are unavailable or malfunctioning, victims can file a complaint with the FTC online. The agency may use complaints to identify patterns of noncompliance and pursue enforcement actions against platforms that fail to meet their legal obligations. If the image reappears on the platform, you can submit a new takedown request.
The FTC outlines the steps to file a report.
Sexually explicit material involving children is considered child sexual abuse and is subject to strict legal requirements. It should also be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber Tipline. The FTC also encourages people who know of existing child pornography — whether it’s pictures of themselves, their children or another vulnerable young child — to submit a request to NCMEC’s Take It Down service.
If the platform does not remove inappropriate intimate photos, additional tools are available. Another option is StopNCII.org, a system that works in partnership with the Revenge Porn Helpline that creates a digital fingerprint of a photo on a user’s device so that participating sites can identify and block them from uploading again.
