An intimate photo of you was shared without your consent

Use free hash-based tools, send takedown requests under US law and keep a record. None of this is your fault.

Finding out that a private image of you is online is a violation, and the person who shared it is responsible for what they did. You can take practical steps, in any order that feels manageable, and you can get someone to help you with them.

If you are in crisis, you can call or text 988 in the US at any hour. The National Sexual Assault Hotline, at 1-800-656-4673, is also free, confidential and open 24 hours.

Record what you found

Before anything comes down, write down each web address, the username of whoever posted it, the date and the platform. Screenshot the page around the post if you can do so without saving the explicit image itself. If you were under 18 in the image, skip the screenshots and go straight to NCMEC, which can guide you.

A friend can do this for you, if looking at the page hurts.

Request removal from each platform

Federal law gives you a route here. The Take It Down Act’s removal rules took effect on May 19, 2026. According to the FTC, a covered platform must:

• Provide a clear way to request removal, including for people without an account.
• Give each request an identifying number and tell you the outcome.
• Remove the content and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request.

The rules include images created or altered with software or AI. You do not need to report each duplicate of the same image separately. Keep the confirmation number for every request.

If a platform misses the deadline or offers no working process, file a report at takeitdown.ftc.gov.

Use a tool that blocks copies

These services create a digital fingerprint, called a hash, on your own device. Your image stays with you.

Taken when you were 18 or older: use StopNCII.org. You need to be the person in the image, be over 18 now and still have a copy. It shares only the fingerprint with participating companies, which can then detect and remove matches.

Taken when you were under 18: use Take It Down at takeitdown.ncmec.org, even if you are an adult now. Reports also go to the CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. Do not send, share or download images in order to use the service. It only works for images already on your device.

If you do not have a copy of the image, you can still report the posts directly to the platform and to these organizations.

Consider a police report or a lawyer

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center takes reports at ic3.gov, and it directs crimes against children to NCMEC. Local police can take a report too. State laws differ, and a lawyer can explain what applies to you, including possible civil claims. A domestic violence or sexual assault advocate can help you find one, especially if the person is a current or former partner.

If you are being asked for money or more images, the sextortion page covers that.

Close off the source

Think about how the person got the image, without blaming yourself. Then cut any access you can:

• Remove them from shared albums and libraries.
• Change your Apple Account password, and check your device list.
• Turn on two-factor authentication on social and cloud accounts.

Removal takes time, and you may need to check back. Consider asking a friend to run searches on your behalf for a while, so that you do not have to.