1 Take care of yourself first

You do not have to do everything right now. There is no correct way to react. Some people want to act immediately, others need to sleep, cry, log off social media for a few days. Both are valid.

If you can, tell someone you trust. You do not have to carry this alone. That person can also be the one who calls a helpline on your behalf, or who walks you through the practical steps later.

• Mute or turn off social-media notifications if seeing this content repeatedly is overwhelming.
• Step away from the comments — even supportive ones can be exhausting.
• Drink water, eat something. Shock cuts off these reflexes.
• Write down what you feel if it helps you, or don't. You are not required to.

2 Preserve evidence — before it disappears

Your first instinct might be to make it all disappear immediately. That is human. But if the content is deleted before it has been documented, it becomes much harder for investigators or the courts to trace the person responsible. A few minutes to keep records can make a real difference later.

You do not have to do this yourself. A trusted person or an organization (see below) can preserve evidence on your behalf.

• Screenshots that show the full URL, the date, the publishing account and — if visible — the number of views and shares.
• Save the file (image, video, audio) to your computer or phone.
• Do NOT web-archive the offending content itself on Wayback Machine, archive.today or any public archive — you would lose control of it permanently (these archives are extremely hard to have removed and the archived URL can circulate on its own). Your local screenshots + the downloaded file are enough — this is what police and courts actually need to open a case, nothing more is required.
• Web archiving IS useful for peripheral elements (threat messages, defamatory tweets, the perpetrator's account page, articles) — those don't expose anything about you and archiving preserves them if the perpetrator deletes them later.
• Write down the date and time you discovered the content, and how (message from a friend, notification, search…).

If someone is blackmailing you with this deepfake: do not pay, stop replying. Contact a helpline (Revenge Porn Helpline UK, Cyber Civil Rights Initiative US) or your local police — they see this kind of situation often and can guide you tonight, even before you file anything.

3 Get it removed and reported

Request removal from platforms

Every major platform has a procedure to report non-consensual content of you. The links below take you directly to the right form:

• Meta (Facebook / Instagram) — dedicated page for non-consensual intimate images, with reporting workflows and partner tools.
• X (Twitter) — report manipulated or non-consensual intimate media.
• TikTok — report synthetic or manipulated content.
• YouTube — report a privacy violation.
• StopNCII.org — free international service. You generate a hash of your image on your device (without uploading it) and several major platforms (Meta, TikTok, Reddit, Bumble…) automatically block copies.
• Take It Down — equivalent for minors, run by NCMEC.

Official reporting channels

• US — FBI IC3 — ic3.gov. Internet Crime Complaint Center of the FBI, official channel for cyber-related crimes including sextortion and deepfake abuse.
  ▸ Step-by-step IC3 tutorial (6 steps)

  1. 1
     Go to the official site

     Type ic3.gov in your browser. Check the URL — the real site ends in .gov. Look for the FBI seal.
  2. 2
     Click "File a Complaint"

     Prominent button on the home page. You'll be taken to the online form.
  3. 3
     Select the crime category

     For a non-consensual deepfake:

     • Intimate content: choose "Sextortion" or "Non-consensual Intimate Images"
     • Financial deepfake (fake CEO, fake wire request): "Business Email Compromise" or "Wire Fraud"
     • Harassment/threats: "Threats of Violence" or "Cyberstalking"
     • Minor involved: use NCMEC's CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org instead

     Don't worry if you're unsure — investigators will re-categorize if needed.
  4. 4
     Provide your identity

     IC3 does not accept anonymous reports. You'll be asked for name, address, phone, email, date of birth. This stays confidential — visible only to investigators, never to the perpetrator or platforms.
  5. 5
     Describe the incident

     Provide:

     • The exact URL(s) of the content
     • Platform name (Instagram, TikTok, Telegram…)
     • The publishing account (handle/@ID)
     • Date you discovered it
     • A brief factual description
     • Financial loss if any (for scam-related deepfakes)

     You can attach screenshots. Do NOT attach the offending content itself if it's intimate — URL + interface screenshots are enough.
  6. 6
     Submit and save the confirmation number

     You'll receive a complaint number and email confirmation. Keep this number — useful for follow-up and for local police if you file with them too. IC3 doesn't provide automatic updates on your case (they route to appropriate agencies).

  Emergency: if you are being blackmailed with an imminent threat, or if a minor is involved, call 911 or your local FBI field office in addition to IC3. RAINN (1-800-656-HOPE) can also guide you through IC3 filing if you'd like support.

• US — NCMEC CyberTipline — report.cybertip.org. For any content involving minors.
• UK — Report Harmful Content — reportharmfulcontent.com. Free service (run by SWGfL) to help you get harmful content removed from major platforms.
• UK — Action Fraud — actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040. National fraud and cybercrime reporting (including sextortion).
• Canada — Canadian Centre for Child Protection / Cybertip — cybertip.ca. For minors and non-consensual intimate images.
• EU/Global — INHOPE hotlines — inhope.org. Network of reporting hotlines across 50+ countries.
• Local police — you can also go to your local police station to file a formal complaint. You have the right to be accompanied.

4 Get professional support

This page is not legal advice and I am not a lawyer. But most countries now have specific laws or provisions covering non-consensual deepfakes (US: many states have criminalized it, the DEFIANCE Act is progressing federally; UK: Online Safety Act 2023; EU: AI Act + national criminal codes). The professionals below know the exact framework and can tell you what applies to your situation.

• US — Cyber Civil Rights Initiative Legal Directory — cybercivilrights.org/professional-help. Lawyers and mental-health professionals experienced with image-based abuse cases.
• UK — Revenge Porn Helpline — revengepornhelpline.org.uk. Free legal information and referrals to solicitors specializing in intimate-image abuse.
• US — Without My Consent (project of Cyber Civil Rights Initiative) — withoutmyconsent.org. Self-help guides on preservation, takedowns and legal options.
• US — RAINN legal advocacy — rainn.org/articles/legal-options. Overview of civil and criminal options.
• Check whether your homeowner's or renter's insurance, bank card, or employer benefits include legal-services coverage. Many policies do and this can pay for a lawyer.

5 Psychological support

What you are feeling — anger, misplaced shame, anxiety, exhaustion, wishing you could disappear — is a normal human reaction to a real assault. It can last, come back in waves, get worse if you stay alone with it. Talking to a professional is not « overreacting » — it is taking care of yourself.

• US — RAINN — 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), 24/7, free and confidential. Chat on rainn.org.
• UK — Samaritans — 116 123, 24/7, free from any phone. Talking, listening, no judgment. Also by email at jo@samaritans.org.
• US/Canada — 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 if you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide. 24/7, free.
• Canada — Talk Suicide Canada — 1-833-456-4566, 24/7.
• Australia — Lifeline — 13 11 14, 24/7.
• International — Find a Helpline — findahelpline.com. Directory of verified crisis lines in 130+ countries.

→ What to expect next

The unknown is scary. Here are typical steps — every case is different.

1. Now
   You discover the content
   Shock, freeze, urge to act or shut down. Both are normal.
2. 10–15 min
   Screenshots and save
   URLs, dates, file. Or ask someone you trust to do it.
3. 30 min
   Platform report
   Platform's reporting form + StopNCII for future copies.
4. 1 h
   First call to a helpline
   RAINN, Samaritans, Revenge Porn Helpline — just to talk if you want.
5. 24–72 h
   Platform takedowns
   Major platforms are legally required to remove non-consensual content promptly (DSA in EU, Online Safety Act in UK, state laws in the US). This is the direct result of your step 3 — nothing more to do on your end.
6. When you're ready
   Formal report to police
   Your evidence is already safe (step 2). Nothing forces you to act in a rush. Many people wait until they've slept, spoken to someone, or made an appointment with an attorney. Do it in the days or weeks that follow, at your own pace and — ideally — accompanied.
7. Weeks to months
   Investigation and legal process
   A cybercrime investigator contacts the platforms. Simpler cases can resolve in months.

? Frequently asked questions

♥ Someone I know is a victim — how to help

Are you a friend, family member, coworker, or partner of a victim? Your presence matters more than you realize.

If your loved one is a minor, contact NCMEC/Take It Down or your country's child-protection service — they specialize in supporting young victims.

◈ Specific situations

✉ Takedown request email template

Generate a formatted email to send to the platform or a content responsible person. Nothing is sent automatically — you copy the text or open in your mail app.

🖶 Bring to police

A 1-page checklist to print, with the information to prepare before filing a report.

6 Protect yourself going forward

Once the first wave has passed, a few small steps can reduce the risk of it happening again. Do them at your own pace, only if you have the energy.

• Set social-media accounts to private (at least temporarily).
• Create a Google alert on your name to be notified if new content appears.
• If you are being targeted by someone close or an ex-partner, change passwords and audit who has access to your accounts.
• If a video call from a loved one asking for money feels off, hang up and call them back on their known number to verify — real-time deepfake video calls now exist.

☯ After the emergency — recovery and follow-up

When the immediate crisis settles, something longer begins. It's not linear — there are better days, harder days, waves. Here are some markers, to take at your own pace, without any obligation.

Long-term psychological support

Initial counseling can be a starting point. For deeper trauma work, other approaches are available:

• EMDR — recognized method for trauma, including image-based abuse. Find a practitioner via EMDR International Association.
• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) — helpful for anxiety and social avoidance. American Psychological Association.
• Long-term psychotherapy if you feel the need for ongoing work.

Support groups and peer communities

• Cyber Civil Rights Initiative — survivor support groups and resources.
• Revenge Porn Helpline (UK) — peer support referrals.
• RAINN (US) — online support community.

Long-term online vigilance

• Keep Google Alerts on your name and any handles — google.com/alerts.
• Clean up old social media accounts you no longer use.
• Check your e-reputation every 3-6 months via a Google reverse-image search.
• Keep your StopNCII hash active to prevent future re-uploads.

Social and professional recovery

• Right to be forgotten — Google's de-indexing form.
• In case of employment discrimination linked to online content, contact your national equal-opportunities agency or an employment attorney.
• Victim advocacy organizations can help you prepare HR or academic conversations if needed.

Later — helping others (if you want)

• Volunteer with RAINN, CCRI, Revenge Porn Helpline — peer support training available.
• Testimony for media or advocacy — only if you want, and on your terms.
• School or workplace prevention talks — speaker programs by trained survivors.

There is no schedule for "getting better". Some people find balance in a few months, others in a few years. Both are normal. You have the right to take your time.

? Going further — official resources

• Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (US) — leading US organization on image-based sexual abuse.
• SWGfL (UK) — parent organization of the Revenge Porn Helpline, provides education and training.
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (US) — federal cyber-crime reporting.
• Internet Watch Foundation (UK) — official channel for reporting child sexual abuse imagery.
• CEOP (UK) — UK National Crime Agency's child protection command.
• Local deepfake detector on this site — to technically document an image or video (PDF report with cryptographic hash, usable as technical exhibit in a case file).

Important note: I am not a lawyer, not a mental-health professional, not affiliated with any victim-support organization. This page is a starting point pointing you toward the right people; it does not replace advice from a professional. For your specific situation, call one of the helplines above, contact a specialized organization, or consult an attorney. These people are trained and available exactly for this.