Revenge Websites and Intimate Image Abuse: What to Do
Important: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not legal, medical, or professional advice. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 (United States) or your local emergency number.
Quick answer
If intimate images of you were shared or threatened without your consent, don't pay or reply; save evidence with web addresses and dates; report to the platform, which under the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act must remove reported images and known copies within 48 hours; and report to police and the FBI's IC3. The Act also covers AI-generated fakes. You are not at fault, and support is available.
What We Mean by Intimate Image Abuse
Intimate image abuse is sharing, publishing, or threatening to share nude or sexual images or videos of a person without their consent. It is sometimes called "revenge porn," though the motive is not always revenge, and many survivors reject the term. It can involve images you shared privately and trust was broken, images taken without your knowledge, and "digital forgeries" such as fake images made with software or artificial intelligence.
The images may be posted on social media, sent to people you know, or uploaded to websites that exist to host such material. Those sites are sometimes called "revenge websites." We don't link to them, and you should not feel you have to look at them.
First, Take a Breath
The first hours can feel frantic. A few reminders may help.
- You are not to blame, whatever you shared or when.
- You don't have to look yourself. Ask a trusted friend to help you find and document the content so you don't have to see it repeatedly.
- You have more options than you may think, including legal protections that became enforceable in 2026.
- Don't act in panic. Paying, replying, or deleting your accounts can make things harder.
Don't Pay, and Don't Negotiate
Some people who threaten to share images demand money or more images, and some sites claim they will remove content for a fee. Paying rarely ends it, and it can invite more demands. Don't send money, more images, or personal details. Stop replying, save the threats, and report. If you were contacted by someone you only met online, treat the demand as a crime. Read interstate threats and threatening communications.
What the Law Now Says: The TAKE IT DOWN Act
Federal law changed significantly in recent years. The TAKE IT DOWN Act, signed on May 19, 2025, made it a federal crime to knowingly publish nonconsensual intimate images, including digital forgeries, and its criminal provisions took effect on signing. The law also requires "covered platforms," such as social media, messaging, image or video sharing, and gaming platforms, to set up a process for victims to request removal.
Since May 19, 2026, when a covered platform receives a valid request, it must remove the reported content, and make reasonable efforts to remove known identical copies, within 48 hours. The Federal Trade Commission enforces this duty and says platforms can face civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation (FTC guidance). The law covers real images as well as AI-generated and altered ones.
Many states also have laws against sharing intimate images without consent, and some give victims civil remedies. Details vary, so ask the prosecutor's office or an attorney.
See the Social Media Reporting Guide →Step-by-step reporting links for the major platforms.How to Ask a Platform to Remove It
Look for the platform's reporting tool, which should be easy to find under its rules on nonconsensual intimate images. A removal request generally identifies where the content appears, includes a brief statement that you believe it was shared without your consent, and gives your contact information. Use the exact web address of each post, and report each one. Save the confirmation. If you don't hear back within the time the law requires, report the platform's failure to the FTC, which has set up a way to report noncompliance. Our Social Media Reporting Guide explains how to report on major platforms.
Preserving Evidence Safely
Evidence helps police and courts, and you can protect yourself while collecting it.
- Take screenshots that show the web address, date, and time. Crop out the intimate content if you can, and keep an uncropped copy only if police advise it.
- Save the account names, profile links, and messages, including threats.
- Write a timeline of when you found it and who has seen it.
- Don't forward the images to friends or yourself in ways that spread them.
- If anyone in an image was under 18, do not copy or share it. Report to police immediately and let them handle the evidence.
Read how to keep a stalking log and evidence that holds up in court.
Reporting to Police and the FBI
Report to your local police and ask for a report number. Bring your timeline, the web addresses, and the threats. Tell them if there is a pattern of harassment, because intimate image abuse often goes with stalking. For online crime and cross-state conduct, file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. If someone is using your identity, report it at IdentityTheft.gov. Our guides on how to report online stalking and how to report a stalker to the police can help.
If the Images Are Fakes
Fake intimate images made with software or artificial intelligence can be just as damaging, and the TAKE IT DOWN Act covers them. Report them the same way: to the platform, to police, and to the FBI's IC3. Save the evidence. You do not have to prove an image is fake to ask for removal; you only need to state that it was shared without your consent.
Protecting Yourself Going Forward
Nothing you do can guarantee that images won't be misused, and the blame never belongs to the person whose images were shared. If you want to reduce risk, consider these steps: lock down your accounts and devices (digital safety guide); remove your contact details from people-search sites (how to remove yourself from data brokers); and tell trusted people what to do if they receive anything about you.
Getting Support
This experience can leave people feeling shame, fear, and anger. Talk to someone you trust, and consider a counselor. Use FindTreatment.gov to find mental health care, and call or text 988 if you are in crisis. Read coping after being stalked.
Helping a Friend Who Is Going Through This
If someone tells you their intimate images were shared or threatened, your reaction matters. Start with "I'm sorry this happened, and it's not your fault." Don't ask why they sent the image, and don't look for the content yourself unless they ask you to. Offer concrete help: sitting with them while they report, helping them save web addresses and screenshots without spreading the images, or looking up reporting tools for them. Don't forward anything. Encourage them to talk to police, a counselor, or a victim advocate, and respect their choices about what to do and when. If they seem overwhelmed or talk about harming themselves, stay with them and help them call or text 988 or call 911.
What to Do If It Keeps Reappearing
Images can resurface on new sites or accounts after they are removed. Keep a record of each place they appear, report each one, and note the dates. The law requires covered platforms to make reasonable efforts to remove known identical copies, but you may still need to report new uploads. Tell police about the pattern, since repeated posting is part of the story. Keep taking care of yourself, and consider asking a trusted person to monitor so that you do not have to.
What was done to you was wrong. You deserve help, privacy, and a response that takes you seriously.Generate and print your Safety Plan →Turn four answers into a discreet, printable emergency action plan.
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
Is sharing intimate images without consent a crime?
Yes. Federal law, through the TAKE IT DOWN Act, criminalizes knowingly publishing nonconsensual intimate images, including digital forgeries, and many states have their own laws.
How fast must a platform remove a reported image?
Under the TAKE IT DOWN Act, covered platforms must remove a reported image and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request. The requirement has been enforceable since May 19, 2026.
Does the law cover AI-generated images?
Yes. The FTC says the Act covers "digital forgeries," such as images created or altered with software, apps, or artificial intelligence.
Should I pay someone who threatens to share images?
No. Paying rarely ends it and can invite more demands. Stop replying, save the threats, and report to police and the FBI's IC3.
What if the images show someone under 18?
Do not copy or share them. Report to police immediately and let them handle the evidence.
Where can I get emotional support?
Talk to a trusted person, use FindTreatment.gov to find a counselor, and call or text 988 if you are in crisis.