‘Take it Down’ Launched to Help Kids and Teens Remove Intimate Online Images

‘Take it Down’ Launched to Help Kids and Teens Remove Intimate Online Images

May 31, 2023

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is a topic we’ve covered previously on the Dordulian Law Group Blog. Also known as revenge porn, IBSA can impact anyone at any time and is only expected to increase with the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI).

But a new tool created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) can help children and teens successfully remove their sexually explicit images and videos from the internet.

What is NCMEC’s Take it Down Platform?

According to NCMEC’s website, Take it Down is one step victims of image-based sexual abuse can utilize to help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos taken before turning 18.

As the site’s slogan notes:

Having nudes online is scary, but we can help.

As a free platform, Take it Down allows IBSA survivors to:

• Remain anonymous while using the service
• Never be forced to send images or videos to anyone

Additionally, Take It Down will work to remove explicit content on public or unencrypted online platforms that have agreed to participate. Said participating platforms include:

• Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
• MG Freesites (Pornhub, Mindgeek)
• OnlyFans
• Yubo

“ Take It Down is for people who have images or videos of themselves nude, partially nude, or in sexually explicit situations taken when they were under the age of 18 that they believe have been or will be shared online. For example, maybe you sent a picture to someone, but now they’re threatening you or have posted it somewhere. Even if you’re unsure whether the image has been shared but want some help to try to remove it from places it may appear online, this service is for you,” NCMEC’s platform page reads.

How Does Take it Down Work?

Take it Down assists the above mentioned platforms in removing sexually explicit content depicting individuals under 18 years of age.

“The program works by assigning a unique digital fingerprint to specific images or videos. When tech platforms sign up to participate, they are provided those digital fingerprints – or hash values – so they can detect and remove the imagery on their public or unencrypted sites and apps,” a report from Click on Detroit confirmed.

Through utilizing unique hash values, when someone uploads an explicit photo to Take It Down, the photo actually never leaves their phone. “The hash is added to a secure list maintained by NCMEC that is shared with platforms that have agreed to work with NCMEC,” Click on Detroit said.

Additionally, any user from anywhere in the world may submit a report which alerts NCMEC and helps remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos of children.

According to Click on Detroit, Take it Down launched in December of 2022. Since that time, over 200 cases have been submitted to NCMEC. Meta – Facebook’s parent company – provided the initial funding to build the Take it Down platform’s infrastructure.

“We created this system because many children are facing these desperate situations,” Michelle DeLaune, NCMEC’s president and CEO, said. “Our hope is that children become aware of this service, and they feel a sense of relief that tools exist to help take the images down. NCMEC is here to help.”

What if I’m a Victim of Image-Based Sexual Abuse and Over 18?

For victims of image-based sexual abuse who are over 18, a website exists that may offer some assistance.

StopNCII.org (Stop Non-consensual Intimate Image Abuse) offers a platform where users over 18 who are worried about someone sharing a compromising image without consent may file reports. The platform is part of the Revenge Porn Helpline (RPH) which was established in 2015 and has reportedly supported thousands of victims of non-consensual intimate image abuse.

“With an over 90% removal rate, RPH has successfully removed over 200,000 individual non-consensual intimate images from the internet,” the StopNCII.org website reads.

Participating companies include:

• Facebook
• TikTok
• Reddit
• Instagram
• Bumble
• OnlyFans

The platform works by allowing user to:

• Select the intimate image(s)/video(s) they want hashed from a device.
• For each piece of content, StopNCII.org will generate a digital fingerprint, called a ‘hash’ on the user’s device. Only the hash is sent to StopNCII.org, the associated image or video remains on a user’s device and is not uploaded.
• If a user’s case is created successfully, he/she will receive a case number to check the status.
• Participating companies will look for matches to the hash and remove any matches within their system(s) if it violates their intimate image abuse policy.
• Users can reference a case number anytime to check the progress on a case.

How Can California Survivors of Image-Based Sexual Abuse/Revenge Porn Secure Justice?

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) or revenge porn refers to the sharing or distribution of sexually explicit videos or images of an individual without their consent. An IBSA crime can be committed whether the images or videos were taken when the victim and the offender were intimately acquainted, or if the offender took photos/videos without the victim’s consent. If someone distributes intimate photos or videos without your consent, it’s illegal and may be grounds for a civil lawsuit allowing you to recover financial damages.

California was the first state to outlaw IBSA/revenge porn back in 2013, passing legislation which made the sharing of nonconsensual intimate images illegal. The current criminal penalty for first time offenders of revenge porn is six months in prison. But the civil court system also offers survivors of IBSA an avenue for justice.

To secure financial compensation in a civil lawsuit, victims of IBSA/revenge porn are encouraged to come forward and file a claim with Dordulian Law Group (DLG). A revenge porn/IBSA civil lawsuit may result in a cash settlement which includes damages for things like:

• Emotional trauma
• Lost future earning capacity
• Diminished life quality
• Counselling or therapy expenses
• Punitive damages
• Lost wages
• Miscellaneous damages

Contact California’s Best IBSA and Revenge Porn Attorneys Today

For a free and confidential consultation regarding your image-based sexual abuse or revenge porn case, contact a member of the DLG sex crimes team today by calling 866-GO-SEE-SAM.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Sam Dordulian and his team of Los Angeles, California, revenge porn and image-based sexual abuse lawyers are dedicated to helping survivors obtain the justice they deserve through maximum financial damages awards.