What to Do If Your Ex Posted Your Nudes
If you just discovered your ex posted your intimate photos or videos online, take a breath. You are not alone, this is not your fault, and there are concrete steps you can take right now to fight back.
Step 1: Do Not Confront Your Ex Yet
Your first instinct might be to call or text your ex demanding they take the images down. Hold off. Contacting them can tip them off, giving them time to re-upload content elsewhere or delete evidence you need later. Handle the evidence first.
Step 2: Preserve Every Piece of Evidence
Before anything gets deleted, document everything:
- Screenshot every page where your images appear, including the URL bar, timestamps, and any usernames or comments visible
- Save full URLs — not shortened links, the complete web address
- Record the date and time you discovered each instance
- Screenshot any messages from your ex admitting to posting, threatening to post, or referencing the images
Store this evidence somewhere secure — a password-protected folder, a cloud drive only you can access, or email it to yourself. You will need this if you pursue legal action or platform reports.
Every major platform has a process for removing non-consensual intimate images:
- Facebook/Instagram: Use Meta's dedicated reporting form for intimate images shared without consent. They typically respond within 24 hours.
- Reddit: Report under their non-consensual intimate media policy. Posts are usually removed within 24-48 hours.
- Twitter/X: File a private information report specifying non-consensual nudity.
- Pornhub/XVideos/xHamster: All major tube sites have content removal request pages. Look for "Content Removal" in the site footer.
- Any website: Look for a DMCA or abuse contact, usually in the site footer or WHOIS record.
Two powerful free resources exist:
- StopNCII.org — Supported by Meta, TikTok, Bumble, Reddit, and others. You create a digital fingerprint (hash) of your images on your own device. That hash gets shared with partner platforms, which automatically detect and block matching content. Your actual images never leave your device.
- Google Search Removal — Google has a specific removal request for non-consensual explicit images. Once approved, the images are de-indexed from search results. This does not delete the source, but it stops people from finding them through Google.
Step 5: Understand Your Legal Options
Sharing intimate images without consent is illegal in most of the United States:
- all 50 states plus D.C. have revenge porn laws on the books
- The TAKE IT DOWN Act (2025) made it a federal crime to distribute non-consensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes, and requires platforms to remove reported content within 48 hours
- Civil lawsuits are an option even in states without criminal statutes — you can sue for invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, or copyright infringement (if you took the photo yourself)
Filing a police report creates an official record, even if local police are unfamiliar with these cases. That report strengthens any future legal action.
Step 6: Get Your Content Off Search Engines
Even after the source site removes your images, cached versions and thumbnails can persist in search results. Submit removal requests to:
- Google (Search Console removal tool or the NCII-specific form)
- Bing (Microsoft content removal request)
- Yahoo (uses Bing's index, so a Bing removal covers both)
When to Consider Professional Help
If images have spread to multiple sites, if the source site is unresponsive or hosted offshore, or if you are dealing with ongoing harassment, a professional removal service can handle the escalation — contacting hosting providers, payment processors, and domain registrars when platforms refuse to cooperate.
IntimaShield specializes in exactly this kind of multi-platform takedown for victims of non-consensual image sharing. If the DIY steps feel overwhelming or are not working fast enough, our crisis team can step in within hours.
You Have More Power Than You Think
The legal landscape has shifted dramatically in victims' favor. Federal law is on your side. Platform policies are on your side. Free tools exist that did not exist five years ago. What happened to you is a crime — and you have every right to fight back.
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