Short answer

If someone makes a fake nude of you with AI, it is abuse and you are not at fault. Save evidence, then ask each platform to remove it. In the US, the Take It Down Act, enforced by the FTC since 19 May 2026, requires covered platforms to remove reported intimate images, including AI-made ones, and known identical copies within 48 hours.

Key takeaways

  • The Take It Down Act covers digital forgeries, meaning images made or altered with software, an app or AI, not only real photos.
  • Covered platforms must offer a clear removal process and remove the content and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request.
  • If a platform does not act, you can report it to the FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov.
  • NCMEC's Take It Down service can help people remove images taken of them before they turned 18, using a hash so the file never leaves your device.
  • Sextortion often follows: a fake or real image is used to demand money or more images. Do not pay, and stop contact.

What deepfake nudes are

A “deepfake nude” is a sexual image created or altered by software so that it appears to show a real person. A face from an ordinary social media photo may be placed on a nude body, or an app may be used to strip the clothes from a clothed photo. The result is fake, but the harm is real. The image can be used to humiliate, to bully, or to pressure the person shown into paying money or sending real images, which is called sextortion.

It can happen to adults and to children. If the person shown is under 18, do not forward or copy the image to anyone, even to show someone that it exists. Note the web address and account name for your records, and go straight to the removal routes below.

What the law now says in the US

According to the FTC, it began enforcing the platform duties in the TAKE IT DOWN Act on 19 May 2026. The FTC says covered platforms must provide a clear and conspicuous notice and removal process for non-consensual intimate images. After a valid request, they must remove the content and any known identical copies within 48 hours.

The FTC states that the law covers digital forgeries, meaning images made or altered with software, an app or AI. Covered services include social media, messaging, and image or video sharing sites and apps. Platforms that do not comply may face FTC enforcement and potential civil penalties of $53,088 per violation, according to the FTC.

The FTC’s consumer advice adds that sharing someone’s intimate images without consent is a federal crime, especially where a child is involved. The legal position for people making the images varies, and this article is not legal advice. A lawyer or a victim support service can tell you what applies where you live.

Step by step: getting it taken down

  1. Record the details. The web address, the account name and the date will help police and platforms. For adults, a private screenshot can also help. If a child is shown, do not save or share the image yourself, and ask the police what to keep.
  2. Use the platform’s removal form. Look for a report option for non-consensual intimate images. Write down any confirmation or report number.
  3. Wait 48 hours, then escalate. If the content and known identical copies are still there, report the platform to the FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov.
  4. Use NCMEC if you were under 18 in the image. NCMEC says its Take It Down service helps remove or stop the sharing of nude or sexually explicit images taken before the age of 18. The file stays on your device. Only a unique digital fingerprint, called a hash, goes to NCMEC and then to participating platforms. NCMEC’s page does not say whether it accepts altered or AI-made images, so check the site before relying on it for that.
  5. Report any threats. If someone is demanding money, do not pay. Stop replying, keep the messages, and contact police.

Protecting yourself and others

No setting makes this impossible, but you can make it harder. Review who can see your photos, and think about whether public profile pictures need to show your face clearly. Talk with teenagers about what to do if a classmate shares a fake image: do not pass it on, and tell a trusted adult. Our guidance on AI tools in schools covers the school side.

Fake images belong to a wider family of synthetic media. Learn how to spot AI-generated images and video, and read our guide to deepfake video call fraud. If an image came with a demand for money, treat it like any other extortion phishing message: the sender wants a reaction.

Asking for removal is not an admission of anything. Act early, keep your evidence, and lean on people you trust.

What you can do

  1. 01Do not blame yourself. Making or sharing a fake intimate image without consent is abuse, and the FTC says sharing intimate images without consent is a federal crime in the US, especially when a child is involved.
  2. 02Note the web address, username and date. Do not forward the image to anyone, especially if the person shown is a child. If you are unsure what to keep, ask the police or a support service.
  3. 03Use the platform's own removal form for non-consensual intimate images, and keep any confirmation or report number.
  4. 04If the platform has not removed the image and known copies within 48 hours, report it to the FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov (US).
  5. 05If the image was taken of you before you were 18, use NCMEC's Take It Down service. For an adult image, NCMEC's site points people to StopNCII.org.
  6. 06If someone is demanding money or more images, do not pay or reply. Report them to the platform and to police, and tell someone you trust.

Related reading: AI voice clone scams and the data breach tracker.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Take It Down Act cover fake, AI-generated images?

Yes. The FTC says the law covers digital forgeries, which it describes as images created or altered with software, an app or AI, not just real photos and videos.

How fast must a platform remove the image?

After a valid request, covered platforms must remove the content and any known identical copies within 48 hours, according to the FTC. Covered platforms include social media, messaging, and image or video sharing apps and websites.

What if the platform ignores my request?

The FTC says you can report platforms that fail to remove images quickly, or that have no removal process, at TakeItDown.ftc.gov. The FTC says violating platforms may face enforcement and civil penalties of $53,088 per violation.

I am not in the US. Can I still get help?

Most large platforms have their own removal forms that you can use from anywhere. Many countries also have an online safety regulator or police reporting route for image-based abuse. NCMEC's Take It Down service is for images taken before age 18.

Sources

  1. TAKE IT DOWN Act enforcement starts now: what to know about the FTC and TIDA, US Federal Trade Commission, 2026-05-19
  2. FTC enforces compliance with the Take It Down Act, US Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice
  3. Take It Down, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)

This article reflects public information as of 2026-11-06. AI tools and rules change quickly; we update articles when new facts are published. Spot an error? See our editorial and corrections policy.