'Take It Down': New tool helps teens, others wipe the web of explicit images taken without consent
A child protection nonprofit on Monday announced a new tool funded by Facebook parent company Meta that can help people remove sexually explicit images of minors from the internet.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s free service, "Take It Down," allows users to anonymously submit a report to remote online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos of people under 18.
The center said Meta provided initial funding to build the program’s infrastructure, which had a soft launch at the end of December. More than 200 cases had been submitted as of Monday.
"The adage of 'you can't take back what is already out there' is something we want to change. The past does not define the future and help is available,” said Gavin Portnoy, vice president of communications and brand at NCMEC in a statement.
How does Take It Down work?
Users will need to have a copy of the image or video they would like to remove or block to get started.
Take It Down assigns a unique digital fingerprint to the image. Participating platforms like Meta can then use the fingerprint to detect the images or videos on Instagram and Facebook and remove the content and take action to limit its spread.
Only the digital fingerprint is shared with participating platforms. The center says the image the user is looking to remove never leaves their device, and no one views the content.
Who can use Take It Down?
The website, https://takeitdown.ncmec.org, is available now for users across the globe, according to the center. It is open to people under 18, as well as older users looking to remove photos of themselves at a younger age.
Since the service is anonymous, the platform cannot notify users if the content is found online.
Which websites does Take It Down work with?
Participants include Meta’s Facebook and Instagram; Pornhub parent company MindGeek; the content subscription service OnlyFans and the French social network Yubo.
"We are proud to support NCMEC's launch of Take it Down – the first platform of its kind to help young people prevent the unwanted spread of their intimate images online," said Antigone Davis, global head of safety at Meta, in a news release.
What if I’m 18 or older in the image?
For people looking to have nude or explicit content of themselves as an adult removed from the internet, Take It Down points them to StopNCII.
The free online tool is run by the Revenge Porn Helpline and operates similarly to Take It Down. Participating companies include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Bumble.
Dig deeper:
- Revenge porn is up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's how to protect yourself.
- Meta is launching a paid verification service for Facebook and Instagram.
- Tired of serving time in Facebook jail? You will now get warnings before being locked up.
- Subscription fatigue: More companies are charging monthly fees. How much can consumers take?
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