Removing Non-Consensual Intimate Images and Deepfakes
About this article
Sourced from primary statutes (U.S. Code, CFR, state compiled statutes) and official government agency guidance. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative crisis helpline is 1-844-878-2274. Non-consensual intimate imagery — including AI-generated deepfakes — became a federal crime on 19 May 2025 when the President signed the TAKE IT DOWN Act (Public Law 119-12). The Act creates two separate mechanisms: (1) a federal criminal prohibition on knowingly publishing NCII (effective immediately), and (2) a civil notice-and-removal regime requiring covered online platforms to take down such content within 48 hours of receiving a valid notice (covered platforms have until 19 May 2026 to implement).
Two specialist services operate in parallel to the legal path and should be used alongside filing reports and removal notices:
- StopNCII.org — for adults (18+ at the time the image was taken AND currently). Hash-based proactive matching across participating platforms. Operated by SWGfL / Revenge Porn Helpline. Reports an over-90% removal rate; 300,000+ images removed.
- takeitdown.ncmec.org — for content of someone under 18 (regardless of current age). Operated by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Hash-based across participating platforms. Free, anonymous.
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative — US victim support (cybercivilrights.org), helpline 1-844-878-2274.
When does it apply?
- An intimate image or video of you (real or AI-generated deepfake) has been posted or threatened to be posted online without your consent.
- The image was taken when you were under 18, regardless of your current age (use takeitdown.ncmec.org).
- You are 18+ now AND were 18+ when the image was taken (use StopNCII.org).
- You are being extorted (sextortion) over intimate content — this is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 1591 and 18 U.S.C. § 2261A in addition to the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
- A deepfake nude has been generated of you using AI — covered by TAKE IT DOWN Act regardless of whether you ever produced the original imagery.
Removing Non-Consensual Intimate Images, Deepfakes, and Sextortion Content
Three lanes — run all three in parallel. Specialist hash-services first because they're fast, then the platform notice, then the criminal report. Do not delete the evidence before reporting.
- If under 18 (now or in the image), use takeitdown.ncmec.org. The NCMEC service generates a hash on your device — the image itself never leaves your phone — and sends only the hash to participating platforms for matching. Anonymous, free, takes minutes.
- If 18+ now AND 18+ when the image was taken, use StopNCII.org. Same hash-and-match mechanism; operated by SWGfL / the UK-based Revenge Porn Helpline but works globally. Reports over 90% removal rate.
- Send the platform a TAKE IT DOWN Act notice. Once covered platforms implement the regime (by 19 May 2026), they must remove the content within 48 hours of a valid notice. The notice must (a) identify the depicted person, (b) include a good-faith certification that the imagery is non-consensual, (c) identify the URLs / accounts hosting the imagery. Many platforms have already published intake forms.
- File a federal criminal report. For NCII / deepfakes: the FBI's IC3 portal (ic3.gov). For sextortion threats: also FBI IC3 and the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-HOPE / 1-800-656-4673). For under-18 victims: NCMEC's CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678.
- Contact the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative at cybercivilrights.org or 1-844-878-2274 for victim support, attorney referral (their attorney network handles civil cases on contingency or pro bono), and emotional-support resources.
- Preserve evidence before the takedown completes. Screenshots with the URL bar visible, archive snapshots (web.archive.org), platform post IDs, dates. Necessary for the criminal case and any civil suit.
- State criminal law adds a layer. 48 US states + DC + Guam have NCII-specific criminal laws as of 2024. Filing a state police report alongside the federal channel adds a parallel route that can move faster on the criminal side.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't delete the original content from your device before the hash is generated. StopNCII / NCMEC need the image to compute the hash — they never upload the image itself, only the hash, but they need the source on your device.
- Don't pay anyone offering 'removal services' for an upfront fee. The legitimate services (StopNCII, NCMEC Take It Down, platform TAKE IT DOWN Act notices) are free. CCRI provides free victim support.
- Don't engage with the extortionist. Sextortionists escalate when victims respond. Block, preserve evidence, report. The FBI IC3 portal is the federal-level channel; NCMEC is the under-18 channel.
- Don't assume a takedown is permanent. Imagery often resurfaces. Hash-based monitoring at StopNCII / NCMEC is ongoing — keep your account live so re-uploads get matched and removed.
- Don't hesitate to take a parallel civil action. Many state NCII laws create a private right of action with statutory damages; federal civil claims (e.g. 15 U.S.C. § 6851) may apply. CCRI's attorney network is the practical route.
Common Questions
Does the TAKE IT DOWN Act cover AI-generated deepfakes?
Yes. The Act expressly covers 'digital forgeries' — AI-generated, digitally-altered, or otherwise synthetic intimate visual depictions of an identifiable individual. The criminal prohibition is in force; the platform notice-and-removal regime applies to covered platforms from 19 May 2026.
What's the difference between StopNCII.org and NCMEC Take It Down?
Both are free hash-based services run by reputable nonprofits and both work with major platforms. Use NCMEC Take It Down if the content shows someone under 18 (regardless of current age). Use StopNCII.org if you are 18+ now AND were 18+ when the imagery was created. Both let you submit without uploading the image — only a hash leaves your device.
Can I sue the person who posted the image?
Yes, in most cases. Most US states have NCII laws creating a private right of action with statutory damages; many have specific deepfake laws as well. Federal civil claims (15 U.S.C. § 6851 — Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act's civil NCII provision) may also apply. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative's attorney network handles these cases on contingency or pro bono.
What if I'm being sextorted?
Sextortion is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 1591 (sex trafficking, where minors or coercion is involved) and 18 U.S.C. § 2261A (stalking). File at FBI IC3 (ic3.gov) immediately — the FBI prioritises sextortion cases involving minors. For under-18 victims, NCMEC's CyberTipline (1-800-843-5678) is the dedicated channel. Do not pay — sextortionists rarely stop after payment, and the FBI's freeze tools work better when reported quickly.
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