DMCA.com Fast Tip
Although wrongful publication of personal pictures happens to both men and women, the largest portion of the personal content takedown requests we see are women and teenage girls. Read DMCA's Social Media Survival Guide
Every day, DMCA.com's professional staff handle takedown requests for clients who have found their personal and very intimate pictures or videos published online for all to see. Their stories and situations are heartbreaking. Almost always their reputation has been severely impacted by the online publication of these deeply personal photos or videos. While we cannot stop what has already happened, we want to stop this tragic situation from happening to you, your family or friends.
Shockingly, in most cases, these very intimate, personal pictures or videos were found online by family, friends or even coworkers. To make matters worse, often the photos or videos were taken years earlier, long forgotten and long before a current marriage, relationship or employment.
In the age of powerful internet search engines and social networking it is too easy for anyone (spouse, boss, clients, co-workers, parents etc.) to connect your name to recently published, intimate pictures or videos that have been uploaded onto the internet.
If you need our help, click here for DMCA.com's Professional Takedown Service
By using DMCA.com's Content Monitoring service, you can keep track of your online content and receive notifications if any unauthorized use is detected. To begin, simply sign up and follow the instructions. This will help you stay on top of any potential copyright violations or unauthorized use of your content.
If something doesn't feel right, don't take the photo, and don't share it if you're uncomfortable with it.
Communicate clearly with friends and romantic partners about what you're comfortable with and what you're not. Respect each other's boundaries.
Store private photos in a password-protected folder, and avoid keeping them on cloud storage or social media accounts.
Be mindful of what you post on social media, and keep your personal information private.
Before sharing a photo, consider the potential consequences of it being shared beyond your intended audience.
Use secure messaging apps with end-to-end encryption to communicate sensitive information and photos.
Use strong, unique passwords for all your online accounts, and enable two-factor authentication for added security.
Review the privacy settings on all your social media accounts and devices, and adjust them to limit who can see your photos.
Stay informed about the latest online security threats and best practices for online safety.
If you do become a victim of online harassment or have compromising photos published without your consent, seek help and support from friends, family, or professional resources. Remember, it is never your fault, and you have the right to protect your privacy and safety.
Parents, guardians, uncles, aunts, and grandparents - talk to your children, teens, and pre-teens about the dangers of taking these types of pictures. What they see as innocent play can quickly be turned into something undesirable and often with tragic consequences. An innocent picture of "mom" can make it online all too easily. No images or videos of your children or their friends in ANY state of undress, even jokingly, is unacceptable.
Now. As soon as they have or have access to a camera, a phone with a camera, or a webcam. Or when they begin to play with your phone.
Discovering that your compromising pictures have been published online can be an overwhelming and distressing experience. Here are some steps you can take:
Take some deep breaths, and try to stay calm. It's important to approach the situation thoughtfully and strategically.
Take screenshots of the images or videos, including any comments or messages associated with them. This will be important evidence if you choose to report the situation. Find as many copies and versions as you can, often it will be cropped or altered in some way so often you can identify it the quickest.
Do not send money or a picture of your ID to hosting companies or website owners in order to get your content removed. If you must pay to have your content taken offline it is extortion or a bribe under most laws. If you must pay or follow some other bizarre process to have your content taken offline, do so with a lawyer, inform the police and, where possible, have an internet specialist with you.
If the content was posted on a social media platform or website, report it. DMCA.com can help with this process, to get started submit the form for the Professional Takedown Service. Often only one website was the source of the uploaded picture or video. It is important to get it removed from there and move on to the other sites, if there are any. The longer the content has been up the more likely it has spread to other networks and websites.
Contact the police - especially if:
Note: Often the authorities can help with the perpetrators of the crime but are unable to act if the photos/videos have been uploaded to servers located outside their legal jurisdiction. Be prepared to deal with getting your pictures/videos taken down as a separate issue.
Take steps to protect your online privacy, such as updating your privacy settings on social media, using strong passwords, and limiting the amount of personal information you share online.
Reach out to trusted friends or family members for emotional support. Consider speaking with a therapist or counselor who can help you cope with the stress and trauma of the situation. Remember that your mental health and well-being are the most important things. Take time to rest, practice self-care, and seek professional support if needed. You are not alone, and there are resources available to help you through this difficult time.
If the content was posted without your consent, you may have legal options to have it removed and to pursue damages. Consider speaking with an attorney who specializes in internet privacy and revenge porn cases.
DMCA.com can help you begin processing takedowns immediately! You can use a service like DMCA.com's Professional Takedown Service, or conduct takedowns yourself using DMCA.com's Protection Pro. Regardless of the method you use, the quicker the better. Processing takedowns can also help any legal action you have started or will start later. If you choose to conduct the process yourself here are a few important tips:
If you have questions about your situation, we can help. Submit your takedown questions here: www.dmca.com/question. Be as detailed as possible. Include as many links as possible. Include complete details on content ownership and source.