Platform and website policies

Most popular websites and search engines have policies, terms of service or community standards that prohibit or disallow the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. It’s important to know that not all sharing of intimate images will violate platform policies. Images will generally need to be nude, nearly nude or sexual. Some platforms make it clear that this includes fake pornographic images (including “deepfakes”). Others also prohibit threats to share intimate images.

Not all platforms refer to the content as “image-based abuse”, “non-consensual pornography” or “non-consensual intimate images”, and you might instead need to select another category on the form - such as “nudity”, “inappropriate content”, “other” or “illegal content”.

How do I submit a report to a website or digital platform?

Many websites have in-built reporting tools that enable you to do one of two things. First, anyone can anonymously flag inappropriate or illegal content (videos, photos, comments), or report another user for sharing this content. Find out more about flagging inappropriate or illegal content.

Second, if your intimate images have been shared online without your consent, you can fill out an online reporting form to request that this content be removed and/or blocked from being able to be shared again. You don’t need an account to request the content be taken down.

On some platforms, you can report the content through the app or a web browser on your computer or your phone. Each reporting tool will be different. You will typically be asked to provide details, such as your email address and the links to the images (for search engine requests, you may need to provide the URL to the search page). It’s important you read through each platform’s policy on non-consensual nude or sexual imagery to first check that the sharing of your content violates their community standards or terms of service.

The amount of time it takes a platform to take down your content will differ depending on the site. Some platforms may be slow but others are very quick to remove content. Under new laws in Australia, Australian-owned or operated companies have 24 hours in which to remove your content or face significant fines.

Search engines, such as Google, Bing/Microsoft or Yahoo!, can also remove links to your photos or videos in their search results. However, it's important to note that even if a search engine removes links to your content, the images will remain on the particular website or app where it’s being hosted, so you’ll need to do another content request through the platform as well.

Below is a list of platform policies and reporting tools.

Social media platforms

Facebook

--> Policies

Sexual Exploitation of Adults: https://transparency.fb.com/en-gb/policies/community-standards/sexual-exploitation-adults/

Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Nudity: https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/child_nudity_sexual_exploitation

Safety Violations and Image Privacy Rights: https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/privacy_violations_image_rights

Manipulated Media: https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/manipulated_media

--> Reporting pages

Facebook’s "Not Without My Consent Guide" includes specific tools, resource and reporting mechanisms for image-based abuse: https://www.facebook.com/safety/notwithoutmyconsent/

Facebook General Reporting: https://www.facebook.com/help/1380418588640631

Instagram

--> Policies

Instagram’s Community Guidelines: https://help.instagram.com/477434105621119 (includes external links to specific Facebook policy on image-based abuse and Child Sexual Abuse Material)

--> Reporting pages

How to Report Things: https://help.instagram.com/2922067214679225/?helpref=hc_fnav

Twitter

--> Policies

Non Consensual Nudity Policy: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/intimate-media

Synthetic and Manipulated Media Policy: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/manipulated-media

Child Sexual Exploitation Policy: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/sexual-exploitation-policy

--> Reporting pages

(Specific reporting mechanisms are at the end of the policy links)

General Reporting: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/twitter-report-violation

TikTok

--> Policies

Adult Nudity and Sexual Activities: https://www.tiktok.com/community-guidelines?lang=en#30

Minor Safety: https://www.tiktok.com/community-guidelines?lang=en#31

--> Reporting pages

Report a Problem: https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/report-a-problem

YouTube

--> Policies

Nudity and Sexual Content: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802002?hl=en&ref_topic=9282679

Child Safety: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2801999?hl=en&ref_topic=9282679

General Content Policy: https://support.google.com/communities/answer/7425194

--> Reporting pages

Report Inappropriate Content: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802027?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop

Snapchat

Never Post Intimate or Explicit Media of Someone Without Their Consent: https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043513411

Do Not Post Sexual or Suggestive Content Involving Minors: https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043075352

--> Reporting pages

Submit a Report (you will need to login in to do this): https://www.reddit.com/report

What should I do if someone has shared or threatened to share intimate images of me or somebody I know? https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043513951-What-should-I-do-if-someone-has-shared-or-threatened-to-share-intimate-images-of-me-or-somebody-I-know-

4Chan

--> Policies

4Chan Rules: https://www.4channel.org/rules

--> Reporting pages

How do I Report Posts? https://www.4channel.org/faq#report

Tumblr

--> Policies

Tumblr Community Guidelines: https://www.tumblr.com/policy/en/community

--> Reporting pages

Reporting: https://www.tumblr.com/abuse/minors

Flickr

--> Policies

Flickr Community Guidelines: https://www.flickr.com/help/guidelines

--> Reporting pages

Safety and Reporting: https://www.flickrhelp.com/hc/en-us/categories/4771822168084-Safety-Reporting

--> Policies

Telegram Terms of Service: https://telegram.org/tos

--> Reporting pages

Reporting Abuse Email: abuse@telegram.org

Kik

--> Policies

Kik Community Standards: https://kikhelpcenter.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4402358258971-Kik-Community-Standards

--> Reporting pages

Reporting / Blocking Forum: https://kikhelpcenter.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/sections/1260803061530-For-Users

--> Policies

Community Guidelines: https://policy.pinterest.com/en/community-guidelines

--> Reporting pages

Report Something on Pinterest: https://help.pinterest.com/en/article/report-something-on-pinterest

Omegle

--> Policies

Community Guidelines: https://www.omegle.com/static/guidelines.html

--> Reporting pages

There is No Reporting Mechanism on Omegle, Refer to esafety Commissioner: https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide/omegle

Twitch

--> Policies

Community Guidelines: https://www.twitch.tv/p/en/legal/community-guidelines/

Nudity and Sexual Content: https://www.twitch.tv/p/en/legal/community-guidelines/sexualcontent/

--> Reporting pages

Filing a Report: https://safety.twitch.tv/s/article/Filing-a-Report?language=en_US

--> Policies

--> Reporting pages

How to Stay Safe on WhatsApp: https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/security-and-privacy/staying-safe-on-whatsapp

How to Block and Report Contacts: https://faq.whatsapp.com/iphone/security-and-privacy/how-to-block-and-unblock-contacts/?lang=en

Wickr

--> Policies

--> Reporting pages

"If you encounter unlawful activities on our platform, please reach out to wickr-legal@amazon.com with as much detail as possible about the situation. Our team will carefully review and take appropriate actions to protect the Wickr community and community at large including reporting the abuse to appropriate authorities and removal actions against individual accounts". Retrieved from: https://wickr.com/privacy/

Search engines

Google

--> Reporting pages

Remove Non-Consensual Explicit or Intimate Personal Images from Google: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/6302812?hl=en&ref_topic=9173608

Remove Involuntary Fake Pornography from Google: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/9116649?hl=en&ref_topic=9173608

Remove your Personal Information from Google: https://support.google.com/websearch/troubleshooter/3111061#ts=2889054%2C2889099%2C2889064%2C9026748%2C9026750

Report Inappropriate Images or Videos Posted Without Your Consent: https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/7540088?hl=en

Protect Children from Abuse: https://protectingchildren.google/intl/en/howtoreport/

Microsoft

--> Reporting pages

Non Consensual Intimate Imagery Reporting Form: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/concern/revengeporn

Yahoo

--> Policies

Yahoo Community Guidelines: https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/guidelines/index.html

-->Reporting pages

Get Help if Someone Posts Intimate Content of You Without Your Permission: https://help.yahoo.com/kb/posts-intimate-content-permission-sln26123.html

Bing

-->Reporting pages

Report a Concern to Bing: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/concern/bing

DuckDuckGo

-->Reporting pages

"For user data rights under privacy laws or regulations (e.g., GDPR), contact removalrequest@duckduckgo.com. Inquiries sent to other DuckDuckGo email addresses will not receive a response. If you find any malware, phishing, or suspicious-looking websites or ads on DuckDuckGo, report them at abuse@duckduckgo.com". Retrieved from: https://help.duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/company/contact-us/