What to do if someone shares your private photos without permission

When someone shares intimate or sexual photos or videos of you without your permission, it is called sexual image exploitation or "revenge porn.” This is a crime in New York, and you have legal options to get help and make it stop.

This includes photos or videos that were:

• Taken without your knowledge (like hidden cameras)
• Taken with your permission in a private relationship but meant to stay private
• Fake images created using technology to put your face on someone else's body (called "deepfakes")

What you can do right away:

• Contact police or the District Attorney's office to report the crime
• Get an Order of Protection through Family Court if the person is a current or former partner
• Change your passwords and make your social media accounts more private
• Report the images to websites and social media platforms to get them removed

Getting help:

• Call the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative Crisis Helpline at 844-878-2274 for support
• Use online removal guides to get images taken down from websites
• Find free or low-cost lawyers who can help with your case
• Report companies that won't remove your images to the Federal Trade Commission

Remember, sharing intimate images without permission is always a crime, no matter who took the photos or why they were taken.