Revenge porn law: getting intimate images taken down, reporting it and claiming damages.

Revenge porn, which the law now calls intimate image abuse, is the sharing of a private sexual or nude image without the consent of the person in it. It is a criminal offence in England and Wales under section 66B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and in the United States under the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act and the law of every state. This guide covers what the law says on both sides of the Atlantic, how to get images taken down, what evidence to keep, how to report it, what you can claim, and where to get help, with the question general guides skip: what changes when you also sell content for a living.

Revenge porn, a leak or a deepfake: which one is it?

Three situations look alike and are handled differently, mostly because the takedown tools differ.

This guide deals with the first: private images that were never meant for the public. If content you sold is circulating on pirate sites, our guide to content leaks sets out the copyright-based procedure. Deepfakes are covered by separate offences and steps of their own. The line is not watertight, and when one person spreads both paid and private material, both sets of steps apply.

What is the revenge porn law in the UK?

Since 31 January 2024, section 66B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, inserted by the Online Safety Act 2023, contains four offences in England and Wales:

The basic offence does not require any intention to hurt you: sharing without consent is enough. An "intimate" image covers sexual activity, nudity or partial nudity and toileting. One exemption matters for creators: no offence is committed where the image had already been publicly shared with your consent. The Act does not say whether a paywalled platform counts as "public", which is why private images are the clear case and paid content is better handled through copyright.

The law keeps moving. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 adds offences relating to taking or recording intimate photographs or films without consent, in force since 29 June 2026, and image deletion orders after conviction, which are not yet in force. Its section 100, in force since 29 June 2026, requires user-to-user and search services to take down content reported as intimate image material within 48 hours, under the Online Safety Act regime that Ofcom enforces. The report must come from you or someone acting for you, in good faith. In Scotland, section 2 of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 covers disclosing or threatening to disclose, with up to five years on indictment.

What is the revenge porn law in the United States?

The TAKE IT DOWN Act (Public Law 119-12, approved 19 May 2025) works on two levels.

The crime. Publishing an intimate image of an identifiable adult is a federal offence where it was obtained in circumstances carrying a reasonable expectation of privacy, what it shows was not voluntarily exposed in a public or commercial setting, it is not a matter of public concern, and the publication is meant to cause harm or does cause harm, including psychological, financial or reputational harm. The penalty is up to two years, or three where the victim is a minor. The statute says expressly that consenting to the creation of an image is not consenting to its publication, and that sending it to someone does not either.

The platform duty. Since 19 May 2026, covered platforms must offer a removal process and take the image down, with known identical copies, within 48 hours of a valid request. A valid request is in writing and contains your signature, enough information to locate the image, a brief statement of your good-faith belief that it was published without consent, and your contact details. The FTC enforces the duty, with civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation, and takes complaints about platforms that ignore requests at takeitdown.ftc.gov.

State law sits on top. All 50 states now criminalise the non-consensual distribution of intimate images; South Carolina was the last, in May 2025. Penalties and definitions vary from state to state.

Ex, fan, former manager or agency: does it matter who shared it?

Not for the offence: anyone who shares without consent commits it. It matters for the evidence and for what else applies.

An ex is the most common case, often with threats before any posting. Keep the threats: they show intent and, in England and Wales, a threat to share is an offence in itself.

A fan you exchanged private images with, outside any sale, has no right to share them. Content sold as a custom is closer to a leak, handled through copyright, although the image-abuse offences can still apply.

A former manager or agency is the case we see most in practice, and the one least discussed. An agency has had your raw files, unreleased content, sometimes access to your phone or cloud. When you leave, some keep the files, show them to others, or threaten to release them to keep you or extract a payment. Keeping files after the contract is a contractual problem; sharing them is a criminal one. Our guide to leaving your OnlyFans agency covers getting your access and files back, and the agency contract clauses show how to require their return and deletion from day one.

What evidence do you need?

Preserve first, remove second. Content taken down before it is recorded can no longer be proved.

1. Screenshot every post: the whole screen, with the URL, date, time and the account that posted it. Save full pages as PDF where you can.
2. Log every link in a spreadsheet: address, site or app, date found, what it shows.
3. Keep every message from the person responsible: threats, demands, admissions, anything showing you never agreed.
4. Record what identifies them: usernames, phone numbers, emails, how you know them.
5. Secure your accounts: change passwords, turn on two-factor authentication and check which devices can reach your cloud, especially if a former manager had access.

Do not pay a demand. Paying rarely ends the threat and usually starts the next one.

How do you get intimate images taken down?

Run these in parallel with the police report, not after it.

The platform. Every major social network, messaging app, adult site and creator platform has a reporting route; choose the category for intimate images shared without consent rather than a general complaint. In the US, a request containing the four elements above triggers the 48-hour clock. In the UK, a report by you as the person depicted triggers the equivalent duty.

Google. Its dedicated form removes intimate or explicit images from search results where you did not consent to the image or the act, or consented but the content is not commercialised online. Google also looks for duplicates, but it only removes results: the image stays on the site until the host removes it.

StopNCII. Run by the Revenge Porn Helpline, it creates a digital fingerprint (hash) of the image on your own device; only the hash is shared. Partners use it to detect and block matching uploads, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Reddit, Snap, X, Bluesky, Pornhub, OnlyFans, Patreon and Microsoft, which applies it in Bing. You must be the person shown, have been over 18 when it was taken, and still have the image. It also works pre-emptively, when someone is threatening to post.

How do you report it to the police and claim damages?

In the UK, report to the police on 101 or online, or on 999 if you are in danger. Bring your evidence log. The Revenge Porn Helpline can explain what to expect. A civil claim runs separately, typically for misuse of private information, breach of confidence or harassment, and can include an injunction. In FGX v Gaunt (2023), thought to be the first civil image-abuse claim of its kind in England and Wales, the High Court awarded £97,041.61: £60,000 in general damages plus losses including therapy and the estimated cost of removing the images.

In the US, report to local police under your state's law; the federal offence can also be referred to federal prosecutors. Civilly, 15 U.S.C. § 6851 lets you sue anyone who disclosed your intimate image knowing, or recklessly disregarding, that you had not consented, for actual damages or $150,000 in liquidated damages, plus costs and attorney's fees, with an injunction and the option to proceed under a pseudonym. It excludes commercial pornographic content unless produced by force, fraud, misrepresentation or coercion, another reason private images and sold content are handled differently. Many states add their own civil claims.

What we see in practice: the cases that end well are those where evidence was preserved in the first 48 hours. For a creator, lost income is proved with platform statements from before and after, so keep them.

Where to get help

• Revenge Porn Helpline (UK adults): 0345 6000 459, weekdays 10am to 4pm (email only on Fridays), help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk.
• CCRI Crisis Helpline (US): 844-878-2274, free and available 24/7, for information, support, referrals and non-legal advice.
• Take It Down (NCMEC): for images taken when you were under 18.
• 999 or 911 if you are in immediate danger.

The order that works: evidence the same day, platform reports and StopNCII straight after, the police within the week, then damages. If an agency or former manager is involved, the first call with us is free, fifteen minutes, reply within 24 hours, through the creators page.

This guide is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Proceedings are brought by local counsel; we prepare the evidence file and the timeline.

Your contactOlivier MaciejewskiFounder of OFM Legal · Former international business lawyer (HEC Paris, Arendt, Clifford Chance) · Official MYM partnerHis background Updated September 23, 2026

This article is general information and does not replace advice tailored to your situation. OFM Legal is not a law firm: court proceedings are handled by our partner lawyers.

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