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What Evidence to Save When Reporting Non-Consensual Intimate Images

Record URLs, account details, dates, messages, threats, and report confirmations. Do not copy intimate imagery if anyone depicted may be under 18; you can report without capturing it.

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If it is safe, record the post or message’s URL, account details, platform, date and time, related messages or threats, and every report you make. You do not have to capture or keep the intimate image to report it. If anyone depicted may have been under 18, do not screenshot, download, record, forward, or otherwise copy the image; ask police or a child-safety service what to preserve instead.

What to record

Preserve the context around the image, not just the image itself. A private incident log can help a platform, police, or support service understand what happened and where the material appeared.

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  • Where it appeared: the platform, app, website, group, or account, plus the full page or post URL and any direct message or content link.
  • Who was involved: the poster’s or sender’s displayed name, username, user ID, and any other identifying account details shown by the service.
  • When it happened: when you found the material and, if known, when it was sent or posted. Include the time zone if you know it.
  • What happened: describe the content in words and note whether it appears altered or AI-generated. Do not copy the image just to describe it.
  • Related communications: preserve messages, threats, demands, extortion attempts, and follow-up contact. In sextortion cases, the UK National Crime Agency also advises keeping relevant bank account details.
  • Other locations: note whether it appears elsewhere and record each location separately.
  • Reports and advice: log the service or agency contacted, submission date and time, confirmation or case number, replies, removal actions, and any instructions you were given.

Write a short, factual account in your own words: what you found or received, where and when, who appears to have shared it, and whether anyone made threats or demands. Keep the log private and share it only through official reporting channels or with people helping you.

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How to collect evidence safely

Do not put yourself at risk to capture it

If saving details could expose you to further harm, or you cannot do so safely, leave the material alone and report what happened. The Metropolitan Police says, “You can still report what’s happened to us, even without it.” You can also ask a trusted person to help with documentation or reporting.

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Take special care if anyone depicted may be under 18

If you are unsure that everyone in the image or video was at least 18, do not screenshot, download, record, forward, or otherwise copy it. The Metropolitan Police warns that doing so could be a criminal offence. Ask police or the appropriate child-safety service what evidence to keep and whether anything already saved should be deleted; its guidance says material must not be kept longer than needed.

If a person under 18 is involved, involve a trusted adult and use an appropriate child-safety reporting route. The UK National Crime Agency points under-18s to a trusted adult and police, and identifies Childline/IWF Report Remove and NCMEC Take It Down as support tools. Which service is appropriate depends on the person’s location and circumstances.

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Keep URLs and images private

The National Crime Agency advises collecting links to online material but not sharing those links with anyone else. Submit them only through the platform’s or authority’s official reporting instructions. Avoid forwarding the content, reposting it, or circulating a link as a way to gather proof.

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Report the content and keep a report trail

Report each post or account to the platform

Use the service’s route for non-consensual intimate imagery, sexual abuse, or privacy violations, and identify the specific post or message. The platform is the party that can remove content from its service; the Federal Trade Commission puts it plainly: “Only platforms can take down intimate photos and videos shared without your consent.” Record when you submitted the report and save any confirmation, case number, response, or removal notice. RAINN maintains a directory of platform reporting routes, though forms and availability can change.

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Contact local authorities when appropriate

Report to local police or the relevant national agency, particularly if there are threats, extortion, stalking, or immediate safety concerns. If someone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. Procedures and evidence-handling instructions differ by location, so follow the authorities’ current guidance rather than assuming that a screenshot or stored copy is required.

Understand that removal deadlines depend on jurisdiction

Deadlines below are jurisdiction-specific, not universal rules:

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  • United States: FTC guidance says covered platforms must offer a way to report covered intimate images, including deepfakes, and remove them and copies within 48 hours of a valid request under the Take It Down Act. If the material remains after 48 hours, the FTC directs people to its Take It Down reporting service. The FTC also identifies local law enforcement and the FBI as routes for reporting perpetrators.
  • India: A Press Information Bureau release dated November 11, 2025, describes the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s NCII standard operating procedure as providing for takedown within 24 hours. It identifies reporting through intermediaries and the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. Follow the current official SOP and local instructions.
  • United Kingdom: For sextortion, the National Crime Agency advises adults to contact local police, calling 999 in immediate danger and 101 otherwise.

These routes and time limits do not establish what applies in other countries. Check current local government or police instructions.

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When image-hashing services may help

Hashing services can help participating platforms detect matching material without requiring the original image or video to be uploaded to the hashing service described by RAINN. They are an additional reporting option, not a substitute for reporting the specific post or seeking help when someone is at risk.

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  • Take It Down: for an image or video made when the person depicted was under 18.
  • StopNCII: for adults aged 18 or older.

Eligibility depends on age when the image or video was made. Hash matching covers participating services, not the entire internet; altered versions may not be detected by the same hash and may need separate handling.

Which response fits the situation?

  • Already posted: record the location and account details, report the specific content to the platform, and keep the report confirmation. Contact local authorities if appropriate.
  • Threatened but not posted: preserve the messages, account details, dates, and any demands. Report the threat to the platform and seek local police or specialist support; do not wait for an image to appear before asking for help.
  • Sextortion or demands for money: preserve the connected messages and relevant account or bank details, and report through appropriate police or agency channels. Do not redistribute links or images.
  • Possibly AI-generated or altered: note that in your written account and report it as intimate imagery shared without consent. Do not assume that an altered image falls outside a platform’s or local law’s reporting process.
  • Anyone depicted may be under 18: do not copy the image or video. Involve a trusted adult where appropriate and contact police or a child-safety reporting service for instructions.

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.

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