DriversRecommendedOutdated drivers can make a good PC feel brokenScan driver issues before chasing fixes manually.Scan NowHalloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run Scan×
Skip to content
World desk4 min

How to Report Non-Consensual Intimate Image Sharing and Preserve Evidence

A practical U.S.-focused guide to requesting removal of non-consensual intimate images, keeping report records, choosing StopNCII or NCMEC, and escalating platform failures or threats.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

If someone shared or threatened to share an intimate image of you without permission, report it to the platform where it appeared and keep a record of your reports. In the United States, covered platforms must remove an image and known identical copies within 48 hours after receiving a valid removal request. If the image depicts a minor, use the child-safety routes listed below—not the adult StopNCII process.

1. Report the image to the platform

Only the platform can remove content from its service, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) consumer guidance. Report the post or image through the reporting option next to it, if available, or use the platform’s help or support process. The route varies by service and may depend on whether you have an account.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  1. Find the platform’s intimate-image or non-consensual-content reporting option. Use the platform’s own instructions rather than assuming a generic copyright or community-guidelines form is the right route.
  2. Submit a removal request that identifies the content and where it appears. Keep the description factual and provide the information the form asks for.
  3. If you do not have an account, look for a help-center process for people without accounts. If the platform requires you to create an account to request removal, the FTC says to report that barrier to the FTC.

The Take It Down Act’s 48-hour removal requirement applies to covered platforms after they receive a valid request; it is not a guarantee that every site or every report qualifies. The FTC says the relevant requirement took effect on May 19, 2026.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

2. Keep a practical record without circulating the image

Write down details that can help you follow up on the request. The FTC asks people reporting a platform failure to identify the platform and where the content appeared, and its portal lets people download a copy of their submitted report.

#1 Best Overall
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STGX2000400) | Everyday HDD storage. Plug-and-play backup. Windows & macOS. Adobe CC trial included. 1-Year Warranty
  • Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
  • Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
  • To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
  • This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
  • The available storage capacity may vary.
  • The platform name and the post’s location or URL, if available.
  • When you submitted the removal request, and any confirmation or case number.
  • Messages or other correspondence from the platform, including its response or a notice that the request could not be submitted.

These are practical record-keeping suggestions, not a legally established evidence-preservation protocol. The FTC guidance does not say that a particular screenshot, downloaded image, or set of metadata is sufficient evidence in a criminal or civil case. Do not repost, forward, or upload intimate images just to document what happened. If a minor may be depicted, do not make or circulate additional copies; use NCMEC’s reporting routes and ask law enforcement or a qualified victim-support organization how to handle case-specific evidence.

3. Choose a fingerprinting or child-safety service based on the person’s age in the image

These services can help limit distribution or route a report, but they do not replace submitting a removal request to the platform where the content appears.

Rank #2
Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PS4, & Xbox - 1-Year Rescue Service (STGX5000400), Black
  • Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
  • Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
  • To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
  • This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
  • The available storage capacity may vary.
Who is depicted? Route identified by the FTC What it does
An adult who was over 18 in the image StopNCII, for eligible material StopNCII’s case-creation information says the image stays on the person’s device while the service scans it to generate a fingerprint, or hash. The hash—not the image—is shared with participating companies. The FTC describes StopNCII as a free global tool for adults; the service accepts eligible real or synthetic intimate images.
A person who was under 18 in the image NCMEC’s Take It Down and CyberTipline The FTC points to these child-safety routes for cases involving a minor. The minor’s case should not be submitted through StopNCII’s adult-facing process.

4. Escalate a covered platform’s failure to the FTC

If a covered platform does not remove the image and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request, has no removal-request process, or has a broken process, report the platform at TakeItDown.ftc.gov. The FTC portal asks which platform is involved and where the content appeared. The FTC says these reports help it investigate and enforce compliance; filing a report does not itself guarantee removal.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The 48-hour rule and FTC complaint route described here are U.S. federal-law processes. They do not automatically apply to every service, every request, or people outside the United States. Outside the U.S., contact the platform and seek guidance from local police, a victim-support service, or a qualified legal resource.

Rank #3
Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox, 1-Year Rescue Service (STGX1000400) , Black
  • Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
  • Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
  • To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
  • This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
  • The available storage capacity may vary.

5. Report threats, blackmail, or the person responsible

The FTC advises reporting the person responsible to local law enforcement or the FBI. The FBI accepts tips at tips.fbi.gov, by phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or through an FBI field office. When a minor is involved, the FTC also identifies NCMEC’s CyberTipline; NCMEC says its trained analysts make reports available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency.

If someone is demanding money or more images, the FTC advises you not to pay, send additional images, give the person access to your financial accounts or devices, or continue communicating. Stop contact, block the person, and tell someone you trust. If you need guidance on handling potential evidence in your particular case, ask law enforcement or a qualified victim-support organization rather than assuming that copying or saving an intimate image is necessary.

Rank #4
Seagate Portable 4TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0, 1-Year Rescue | Everyday HDD storage. Plug-and-play backup. Windows & macOS. Adobe CC trial included. 1-Year Warranty
  • Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
  • Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
  • To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
  • This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
  • The available storage capacity may vary.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Sources and legal scope

This guidance reflects FTC consumer materials published in May and September 2026, the FTC’s May 2026 business guidance on the Take It Down Act, the FTC’s September 23, 2026 instructions for reporting a platform that fails to remove an image, and StopNCII’s case-creation information. The U.S. legal timing above applies to covered platforms and valid requests; removal outcomes and the appropriate evidence-handling steps can depend on the circumstances.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STGX2000400) | Everyday HDD storage. Plug-and-play backup. Windows & macOS. Adobe CC trial included. 1-Year Warranty
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STGX2000400) | Everyday HDD storage. Plug-and-play backup. Windows & macOS. Adobe CC trial included. 1-Year Warranty
This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable; The available storage capacity may vary.
$129.99
Bestseller No. 2
Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PS4, & Xbox - 1-Year Rescue Service (STGX5000400), Black
Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PS4, & Xbox - 1-Year Rescue Service (STGX5000400), Black
This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable; The available storage capacity may vary.
$213.60
Bestseller No. 3
Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox, 1-Year Rescue Service (STGX1000400) , Black
Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox, 1-Year Rescue Service (STGX1000400) , Black
This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable; The available storage capacity may vary.
$119.80
Bestseller No. 4
Seagate Portable 4TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0, 1-Year Rescue | Everyday HDD storage. Plug-and-play backup. Windows & macOS. Adobe CC trial included. 1-Year Warranty
Seagate Portable 4TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0, 1-Year Rescue | Everyday HDD storage. Plug-and-play backup. Windows & macOS. Adobe CC trial included. 1-Year Warranty
This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable; The available storage capacity may vary.
$189.99
Best Value
Sale
UnionSine 500GB Ultra Slim Portable External Hard Drive HDD-USB 3.0 | for PC, Mac, Laptop, PS4, Xbox one, Xbox 360-(Black)
  • [Upgraded Version] - This external hard drive features a mirrored logo stripe combined with a striped anti-slip design, and the rounded corners of the casing make it easier to grip. The stripes also have a heat dissipation function, ensuring stable and fast data transfer.
  • 【Ultra-thin and quiet】 - The motherboard adopts JMicron 578 noise-free solution, giving you a quiet working environment. Lightweight and portable size designed to fit in your pocket for easy portability.
  • 【Ultra-Fast Data Transfers】 - Pairing this external hard drive with JMicron 578 solution USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 interfaces enables blazing-fast data transfer. It boasts theoretical read speeds of up to 125MB/s and write speeds of up to 103MB/s.
  • 【Plug and Play】 - With no software to install, just plug it in and the drive is ready to use.The hard disk chip is wrapped with an aluminum anti-interference layer to increase heat dissipation and protect data.
  • 【What You Get】 - 1 x Portable Hard Drive, 1 x USB 3.0 Cable, 1 x User Manual, Gift-type shell packaging ,Three-year manufacturer's warranty and free technical support services.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.