What Is the TAKE IT DOWN Act and How Does It Protect You?

The TAKE IT DOWN Act is a US federal law signed in 2025. It targets non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated fakes, and requires covered online platforms to provide a removal process. This is a general explanation, not legal advice.

For years, victims of intimate image abuse had to rely on each platform's goodwill. The TAKE IT DOWN Act changes that in the United States by giving victims a legal right to demand removal and by placing duties on platforms. It was signed into law in 2025.

This is a general explanation and not legal advice. Laws differ elsewhere, and you should speak to a lawyer about your own situation.

What it does

• Criminalises sharing intimate images without consent, including AI-generated ones
• Requires covered platforms to set up a process for victims to request removal
• Requires removal within 48 hours of a valid request
• Gives the Federal Trade Commission power to enforce the platform obligations

How to use it

1. Find the platform's removal processLook for its dedicated form or reporting route for intimate imagery.
2. Submit a valid requestInclude the content location, a statement that it was shared without consent and your contact details.
3. Keep a recordNote the date and time of your request.
4. Escalate if ignoredIf the platform fails to act, consider reporting and legal advice.
5. Use other tools tooStopNCII.org and search engine forms still help.

Two parts: crime and removal

The Act has a criminal side and a platform side. It makes it a federal offence to knowingly publish non-consensual intimate images, including digital forgeries created with artificial intelligence. It also requires covered platforms to set up a process where victims can ask for removal and to remove reported content within a short period after a valid request.

What a valid request includes

• A physical or electronic signature of the person making the request
• Identification of the content and information so the platform can find it
• A statement of a good faith belief that the content is non-consensual
• Contact information for the person making the request

What the Act does not do

It does not make content vanish from every corner of the internet. It applies to covered platforms, and its enforcement depends on regulators. Offenders may be outside the country, and sites that ignore the law may remain online. You should still use search engine requests, host complaints and hash tools to cover other gaps.

Using it alongside other rights

The Act sits alongside state laws, platform rules and the protection offered by other countries. If you are outside the United States, platforms that operate globally often apply their processes widely. Ask a local lawyer or support organisation how the law in your country applies.

Practical tips for your request

When you submit a request, keep your message clear and factual. Include the exact location of the content, such as the link to the post, and state that the content was shared without your consent. Keep a copy of your submission, including the date and time, because the platform's obligations start from the receipt of a valid request.

If a platform does not provide a clear form, look for its trust and safety or legal pages, and ask whether it has a process for intimate image removal under the law.

We can help you prepare and send requests. Email us in confidence.

Official sources

• FTC: enforcement of the TAKE IT DOWN Act

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. DMCA Reputation is not a law firm.