What is NCII?
The definition, the federal rights a US victim holds in 2026, real versus synthetic NCII, and the removal routes that work in practice.
What does NCII cover?
NCII means non-consensual intimate imagery: a sexual or nude photo or video of an identifiable person that is created, obtained or shared without that person’s consent. Since 2025 US federal law covers both real images and AI “digital forgeries”, and the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative counts 1 in 8 adult social-media users as targets of it.
| Right or route | Legal basis | What it gives you | Time frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform removal | TAKE IT DOWN Act §3 | Covered platforms must remove reported NCII and copies | 48 hours; in force since May 19, 2026 |
| Criminal complaint | TAKE IT DOWN Act §2 | Federal offense for knowing publication; up to 2 years (3 for minors) | Report to FBI or local police |
| Civil action | 15 U.S.C. §6851 | Damages of $150,000 or actual damages, plus fees and injunction | Enacted March 15, 2022; state limitation periods apply |
| Hash-based blocking | Voluntary industry programs | StopNCII.org (adults) and NCMEC Take It Down (under 18) block re-uploads | Immediate; no charge |
How is NCII different from “revenge porn”?
“Revenge porn” describes one motive: an ex-partner sharing real images. NCII is broader and motive-neutral. It includes images taken with consent but shared without it, images taken secretly or obtained by hacking, and, since the TAKE IT DOWN Act, digital forgeries produced by undress AI or face swap.
What does federal law give a victim in 2026?
The TAKE IT DOWN Act, Public Law 119-12, signed May 19, 2025, makes knowing publication of NCII, real or synthetic, a federal offense with up to 2 years in prison, or 3 years when the subject is a minor; threats to publish carry 18 or 30 months.
Covered platforms must take reported material down within 48 hours, a duty the Federal Trade Commission has enforced since May 19, 2026 with penalties of $53,088 per violation. The civil track is 15 U.S.C. §6851: actual damages or $150,000 in liquidated damages, plus fees and an injunction. See the TAKE IT DOWN Act entry.
StopNCII.org is a free tool designed to support victims of Non-Consensual Intimate Image (NCII) abuse.
— StopNCII.org, Revenge Porn Helpline / SWGfL, accessed September 3, 2026
How does hash-based removal work?
StopNCII.org, run by the Revenge Porn Helpline, computes a hash of the image on the victim’s own device; the image never leaves the phone. The hash goes to participating platforms, which block matching uploads; the service reports removal rates above 90% for matched content. NCMEC’s Take It Down does the same for images of people under 18.
What can you do about NCII on this site or a reviewed tool?
This site hosts no user images, but any labeled sample that depicts you can be reported through Report NCII, which states the 48-hour target.
Reviewed tools are scored on their own removal and retention terms; a tool without a working removal route loses points in the 30-point privacy component. The deepfake nudes guide orders the steps for third-party platforms.
Consent Note
This site is a publisher: it reviews third-party tools and does not create, edit, accept or store images. Docs entries are general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- TAKE IT DOWN Act, Public Law 119-12 — GovInfo, accessed September 3, 2026.
- Complying With the Take It Down Act — Federal Trade Commission, accessed September 3, 2026.
- 15 U.S.C. §6851 — Cornell LII, accessed September 3, 2026.
- 18 U.S.C. §2256 — Cornell LII, accessed September 3, 2026.
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative — CCRI, accessed September 3, 2026.
- StopNCII.org — Revenge Porn Helpline / SWGfL, accessed September 3, 2026.
FAQ
Does NCII include AI-generated images?
Yes. Since May 19, 2025 the TAKE IT DOWN Act treats an intimate “digital forgery” of an identifiable person, produced by AI or other technical means, the same as a real image for both the criminal offense and the 48-hour removal duty. Undress-app output of a non-consenting person is NCII.
Is sharing NCII a federal crime?
Yes. Knowing publication of a non-consensual intimate image on an interactive computer service is punishable by up to 2 years in federal prison, or 3 years when the subject is a minor, under Public Law 119-12. Threatening to publish carries up to 18 or 30 months.
How fast must a platform remove NCII?
Covered platforms had until May 19, 2026 to set up a notice-and-removal process and must now remove reported NCII within 48 hours of a valid request, along with known copies. The Federal Trade Commission treats failure as an unfair practice with civil penalties of $53,088 per violation.
Can I sue the person who shared my image?
Yes. 15 U.S.C. §6851 gives victims a federal civil action for actual damages or liquidated damages of $150,000, plus attorney fees and injunctive relief, and lets the plaintiff proceed under a pseudonym. Many states provide parallel claims; a licensed attorney can advise on deadlines.
What if the image shows me under 18?
Report it to NCMEC through its CyberTipline and use Take It Down to hash the image so participating platforms block it. Sexual images of minors, real or computer-generated and indistinguishable from real, are child sexual abuse material under 18 U.S.C. §2256, investigated by the FBI.
Does StopNCII.org see my photo?
No. The hash is computed on your own device; only the hash string, not the image, is sent to participating platforms, which use it to block matching uploads. The service is run by the Revenge Porn Helpline and reports removal rates above 90% for content matching a submitted hash.