What is NCMEC Take It Down?
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s free, anonymous hashing service for nude or sexually explicit images taken when the person was under 18.
General information about a third-party victim service, not legal advice. Images found on this site: NCII report.
Take It Down is a free service of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Anyone with a nude, partially nude or sexually explicit image of themselves taken while under 18 can hash it on their own device; the hash joins a secure NCMEC list that participating platforms use to find and remove copies. No image is uploaded.
Victim services compared
Checked against the linked sources on September 3, 2026; no editor scores here (how we rate).
| Service | Who can use | How it works | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Take It Down | Anyone under 18 when the image was taken, including adults today; any country | Hash made on the device; NCMEC list scanned by partners | Free, anonymous | NCMEC |
| CyberTipline | Anyone reporting suspected child sexual exploitation | Online report reviewed by NCMEC, referred to law enforcement | Free | CyberTipline |
| StopNCII.org | Adults who were 18+ when the image was taken | Same on-device hashing, own partner platforms | Free | StopNCII.org |
| CCRI Safety Center and Helpline | Adult victims of image-based abuse in the United States | Guidance, evidence preservation, 24/7 line 844-878-2274 | Free | CCRI |
| TAKE IT DOWN Act request | Identifiable individuals depicted in NCII on a covered US platform | Removal within 48 hours; FTC enforcement | Free | Congress.gov |
How does Take It Down work?
The person opens the service, selects the explicit image or video already stored on their device and starts the process. Take It Down computes a hash — a unique digital fingerprint of an exact copy — locally. The original stays on the device, is not uploaded and is not viewed by anyone; only the hash value goes to NCMEC.
NCMEC adds the hash to a secure list shared solely with participating platforms. They scan their public or unencrypted services for matches and can remove the content, block re-uploads and, where appropriate, report to the CyberTipline. No personal information is needed, so the person can remain anonymous.
Who can use it?
Take It Down is for anyone who has nude, partially nude or sexually explicit images of themselves taken when they were under 18 and shared online or at risk of being shared. It applies even when the person is now over 18 and wherever they live, including cases where an image sent to someone is now used for threats.
Adults whose images were taken at 18 or older are directed to StopNCII.org, which uses the same hashing approach with its own partner network. Parents and trusted adults may help a minor create a hash without ever receiving the image.
What are its limits?
Only participating platforms act on the list; current participants appear on the Take It Down participants page. Encrypted or private channels are out of reach because scanning works on public or unencrypted content. A hash matches exact copies, so altered versions may need separate hashes. The service does not investigate offenders — that is the role of the CyberTipline and law enforcement.
How is it different from the TAKE IT DOWN Act?
Despite the shared name, the service and the statute are separate. Take It Down is a voluntary NCMEC program. The TAKE IT DOWN Act, Public Law 119-12 of May 19, 2025, criminalizes knowingly publishing non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI “digital forgeries,” with up to 2 years in prison for adult depictions and 3 years for minors, and since May 19, 2026 requires covered platforms to remove a reported image within 48 hours under FTC oversight.
On this site, any sample preview that turns out to depict a real person can be reported through the NCII form; suspected material involving minors is reported to the CyberTipline and preserved as described in the law-enforcement guidelines. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
All sources accessed September 3, 2026.
- Take It Down — eligibility and hashing — NCMEC
- Take It Down FAQ — age rule, hash list — NCMEC
- Take It Down participants — NCMEC
- CyberTipline — NCMEC reporting system
- StopNCII.org — service for adults 18+
- TAKE IT DOWN Act, S.146 / Public Law 119-12 — Congress.gov
Corrections: editorial@clothoff.ai · Editorial policy
Frequently asked questions
Is Take It Down free and anonymous?
Yes. NCMEC charges nothing, and the FAQ states that no personal information is required to create a hash. The image never leaves the device; only its hash value is sent. People who want additional NCMEC support can choose to share contact details, but that step is optional.
Can an adult use Take It Down?
Yes, if the image or video was taken when the person was under 18. Age at the time of the image is what matters, not current age or location. For images taken at 18 or older the service points to StopNCII.org, which applies the same on-device hashing model for adults.
Which companies use the Take It Down hash list?
Participating platforms agree to scan their public or unencrypted services against NCMEC’s list; the current roster is published on the participants page of takeitdown.ncmec.org. Content in end-to-end encrypted messaging cannot be scanned, so a hash does not reach private chats or closed groups.
Does a hash reveal what the image looks like?
No. A hash is a one-way fingerprint; the image cannot be reconstructed from it, and NCMEC says the file is neither submitted nor viewed. Exact duplicates produce the same hash, which is how platforms detect copies without ever holding the original file on their side.
Is Take It Down the same as the TAKE IT DOWN Act?
No. Take It Down is NCMEC’s voluntary hashing service. The TAKE IT DOWN Act is Public Law 119-12 of May 19, 2025, which criminalizes publishing NCII and digital forgeries and obliges covered platforms to remove reported images within 48 hours, with enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission.
What should I do if I find AI-generated material involving a minor?
Do not download or share it. Report it to NCMEC’s CyberTipline, which refers cases to law enforcement, and to the hosting platform. If the depicted minor has the file, they or a trusted adult can create a Take It Down hash. Material in a sample preview here goes through the NCII form.