New law targets revenge porn online

Online platforms are now required to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours of reporting, as a federal law criminalizing the sharing of such content goes into full effect.

President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law last year, which makes it illegal to publish online nonconsensual intimate visual depictions, real or artificially generated.

The act gave online platforms one year to create a process for removing such imagery within 48 hours of notification from users.

If online platforms fail to do so, they could face civil penalties of $53,088 per violation.

That one year deadline expired on Tuesday, and the provisions now going into effect ensure that tech companies “can no longer turn a blind eye to these horrifying abuses on tech and social media,” Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said.

The Federal Trade Commission, which will enforce the law, sent letters to major online platforms last week warning them about compliance.

Any business that “primarily provides a forum for user-generated content or regularly publishes, curates, hosts, or furnishes intimate content shared without consent,” is subject to the law, according to the FTC.

Violators can face fines and up to two years in prison.

Platforms must provide clear instructions to “make it easy for people to submit a removal request,” the FTC says.

They are also responsible for finding and removing duplicates of the reported image or video within the 48-hour window.

The imagery does not have to be real: artificially generated nonconsensual intimate imagery, sometimes referred to as deepfake porn, is also covered under the act.

Some online services allow users to report such images directly from where they’re posted.

On Instagram, for example, clicking or tapping the three dots on the upper right of an image leads to a “Report” button.

TikTok users can report a post using the arrow button on the lower right side of the screen.

Even Walmart now has an option to report intimate imagery because users can upload images if they sell products on the retailer’s platform.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children also offers a “one step” service “to help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos” of minors.

For adults, an organization called Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery offers support and the option to submit intimate images that participating platforms can view for matches and remove if it violates the Take It Down Act.

The images are translated into hashes, which works like a digital fingerprint.

The FTC also launched TakeItDown.ftc.gov to report platforms that fail to remove intimate imagery, or make it difficult to report.

Sen. Ted Cruz stated that as AI advances, technology needs to be used responsibly and not as a tool for abuse, harassment, or exploitation.

Victims now have the tools needed to reclaim their digital presence and dignity, and Big Tech can no longer look the other way, he added.

Reporting Non-Consensual Imagery

Users can report non-consensual intimate imagery on various platforms, including social media and online marketplaces.

For example, Reddit users can report such content by clicking the “report” button on the post.

The FTC recommends that users keep a record of their report, including the date and time of the report, and any subsequent communication with the platform.

Users can also submit a complaint to the FTC if they believe a platform has failed to remove non-consensual intimate imagery, and may need to use advertising to raise awareness about the issue.

Support for Victims

Victims of non-consensual intimate imagery can seek support from organizations such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery.

These organizations provide resources and assistance to help victims remove non-consensual intimate imagery from online platforms.

They also offer support and counseling to help victims cope with the emotional impact of having their intimate images shared without consent.