Threatened with leaked photos or videos?
A threat to send private images to family, friends, coworkers or social followers is designed to create panic. There are practical steps you can take before reacting.
Do not send more material
Sending another image, ID document, password or payment can create additional leverage. Focus on preserving what already exists rather than supplying new material.
Avoid sending the intimate image itself to ordinary support email addresses.
Preserve proof of the threat
Save the messages that show the threat, the account profile, usernames, URLs, contact details, payment demands and timestamps.
If the account changes names or disappears later, those records can still help explain what happened.
Reduce discoverability
Review follower lists, friend visibility, tagging permissions and searchable contact information. Secure email and social accounts with new unique passwords and multi-factor authentication.
Consider temporarily limiting who can message, tag or mention you.
Explore image-protection tools
StopNCII can help eligible adults create a digital fingerprint of intimate material on their own device for matching on participating platforms. For images or videos taken when a person was under 18, NCMEC's Take It Down is an important resource.
These tools have defined coverage and should not be presented as removal from the entire internet.
Get help organizing your response
SafeLine Digital Support helps clients respond to ongoing blackmail with a structured plan designed to reduce the offender’s leverage, protect accounts and privacy, preserve useful evidence and navigate appropriate reporting options. Individual outcomes vary and another person’s behavior cannot be guaranteed.