If an intimate image has been shared, or may be shared, without consent, focus on limiting further circulation. Do not forward or repost it to demonstrate what happened. Eligible adults can also consider StopNCII, which creates a hash on the user’s device and shares that hash—not the intimate file—with participating companies. If the material may depict a minor, do not forward, download or repost it merely to preserve proof.
Sharing an image is a separate question of consent
Consent to create an intimate image or send it privately does not ordinarily amount to consent for someone else to distribute it. That distinction matters when responding to nonconsensual intimate images online: an image initially made or sent with permission may still be distributed without permission.
Forwarding and reposting may themselves be treated as acts of distribution under applicable law. Avoid responding in a way that gives the material a new audience or creates another route for circulation. This article cannot determine how the law applies to a particular case; definitions, remedies and obligations vary with the jurisdiction and circumstances. The supplied legal material is general information, not individualized legal advice.
Avoid creating another copy when a minor may be depicted
Use particular caution if the material may depict someone who was under 18 when it was created. The supplied legal source advises against forwarding, downloading or reposting such material merely to prove what occurred. Those actions could add to the harm and create potential legal risk.
This warning also limits what can responsibly be presented as a documentation checklist. The available sources do not establish specific procedures for saving screenshots, original files, URLs, timestamps or account details. They therefore do not support a detailed evidence-preservation process. The source-backed action is narrower but important: do not make or distribute another copy simply for proof when an image may involve a minor.
How StopNCII works and who can use it
StopNCII describes itself as a free tool for victims of nonconsensual intimate-image abuse. It creates a digital hash of a selected image or video on the user’s device. The hash, rather than the intimate file, is shared with participating companies so they can help detect and remove matching content. This approach addresses the concern that seeking help could require uploading the intimate file to another service.
StopNCII states that a user must currently be over 18, must have been at least 18 when the image was taken, must appear in the image, and must still possess the image or video. The material must also meet the tool’s stated intimate-content criteria.
These boundaries matter. StopNCII works with participating companies; the available source does not establish universal coverage or guarantee removal from every online service. Its hashing process is therefore a possible harm-limiting measure for eligible adults, not a complete platform-by-platform reporting system.
Conclusion
Start with two distinctions. First, permission to create or privately send an intimate image does not ordinarily authorize wider distribution. Second, an attempt to document the abuse can cause more harm if it involves forwarding, downloading or reposting material that may depict a minor.
For an adult who meets StopNCII’s age, appearance, possession and content requirements, the service offers a way to create hashes locally and share those hashes with participating companies without sending them the intimate files. Its reach is limited to participating services, so it should not be treated as a universal removal guarantee.
Take the next step that fits the situation: if you meet the adult-use criteria, review StopNCII and consider creating hashes on your device; if the image may depict a minor, do not forward, download or repost it merely to preserve proof.
Disclosures and limitations
- This article was prepared with AI assistance from the supplied StopNCII and Vertex Legal research. It summarizes those sources and their stated limitations; it does not provide individualized legal advice.
- No product recommendation or affiliate relationship is included. StopNCII is discussed only as a source-described free tool, and no claim is made that it covers every service or guarantees removal.
Related reading
Sources
- Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse | StopNCII.org — stopncii.org
- Legal Consequences of Sharing Explicit Images Online in the U.S. – Vertex Legal — vertexlegal.org