Laws & Policy
TAKE IT DOWN Act
A US law against publishing nonconsensual intimate images, including AI forgeries, that tells covered platforms to remove a valid report within 48 hours.
As of September 26, 2026, covered platforms had to offer a removal process by May 19, 2026. A valid request must be acted on within 48 hours. The FTC enforces that platform duty. Check the FTC page before you rely on this deadline.
- Parents
- Policymakers and staff
- Educators and school leaders
This is general information, not legal advice.
What parents should know
The TAKE IT DOWN Act is current law. It covers real intimate images and AI-made fakes published without consent. Covered platforms had until May 19, 2026 to offer a removal process, and they must remove a reported image within 48 hours of a valid request. If the person pictured is under 18, use NCMEC as well. This page is general information, not legal advice.
On this page
What is the TAKE IT DOWN Act?
The TAKE IT DOWN Act, S. 146, addresses nonconsensual intimate visual depictions, including digital forgeries made or altered with software or AI. Publishing those images can be a federal crime. Separately, Section 3 requires covered platforms to give people a clear way to ask for removal.
The FTC enforces that platform duty. Its May 19, 2026 announcement says covered platforms had to have the process in place by that date, and must remove the image and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request. If a platform has no process, or misses the window, the FTC asks people to report it at TakeItDown.ftc.gov. That FTC complaint is about the platform. It is not the same tool as NCMEC's Take It Down service for images of people who were under 18.
Why the TAKE IT DOWN Act matters
Students are already targeted with fake intimate images. A family that hears deepfake needs a removal path with a clock on it, not only a lecture about trust. The 48-hour duty belongs to covered platforms. It does not delete a screenshot someone saved on a phone.
Two front doors get confused. TakeItDown.ftc.gov is where you report a platform that failed the legal process. takeitdown.ncmec.org is NCMEC's tool to help remove intimate images of someone who was under 18. If a child is in the image, start with NCMEC and do not forward the image around to more adults than necessary.
How it shows up in practice
- A teen finds a fake intimate image and a parent helps them use the platform's removal form, then notes the time.
- Forty-eight hours pass with no removal, and the family reports the platform to the FTC.
- The pictured person is under 18, so the family also uses NCMEC's Take It Down and the CyberTipline.
- A school supports the student and does not display the image in a staff meeting.
How HeyOtto helps
HeyOtto is not a public social network, and this page does not claim HeyOtto operates the federal 48-hour platform process. Kids can share a project publicly only after a parent approves, and the parent can revoke the link. Image tools are age-filtered. If a child is the target of an intimate image, do not spread the file. Report it through NCMEC when the person is under 18, and use the platform's own removal process where the image was posted.
- Public project links stay off until a parent approves them.
- Schools can turn image generation off.
- HeyOtto does not replace NCMEC or the FTC reporting sites.
For schools
Request a demoFAQs
Is the removal deadline still in the future?
No. The FTC says covered platforms had to establish a removal process by May 19, 2026, and must remove a validly reported intimate image, and known identical copies, within 48 hours. The FTC began enforcing that duty on May 19, 2026. Confirm the current guidance on the FTC's business page.
Does the law cover AI fakes?
Yes. The FTC's compliance guidance says the Act covers real intimate photos and videos and digital forgeries, including images created or altered with AI. The image still has to meet the statute's definition. This is general information, not legal advice.
Where do I report a platform that did nothing?
The FTC points people to TakeItDown.ftc.gov when a covered platform has no process or does not remove the image within 48 hours of a valid request. If the person in the image is under 18, also use NCMEC at takeitdown.ncmec.org and report.cybertip.org. Do not send the image to friends to warn them.
What if the image is of my child?
Stay with them. Do not blame them, and do not forward the image. Use NCMEC's Take It Down for images of people under 18, and the CyberTipline. Tell the school if classmates are involved, and ask the school not to display the file. A crisis line such as 988 is there if they are in distress.
Sources
Last reviewed September 26, 2026. Law entries are reviewed every quarter.
This is general information, not legal advice.