The TAKE IT DOWN Act: What a Valid Removal Request Needs

The TAKE IT DOWN Act was signed on May 19, 2025. The platform notice-and-removal requirements became enforceable on May 19, 2026. The most useful starting point is the FTC's explanation for covered platforms.

What the 48-hour requirement means

A covered platform must remove qualifying intimate imagery within 48 hours of receiving a valid request and make reasonable efforts to identify and remove known identical copies. The law covers qualifying authentic images and digital forgeries. This is not a universal promise that every website or removal company will delete every copy in 48 hours.

What to include

The law specifies information for a valid request, including a signature from the depicted person or an authorized representative, identification of the material and information sufficient to locate it, a good-faith statement that it was published without consent, and contact information. When we file as your authorized representative, the request includes these elements and we keep the platform's receipt.

If you use a representative, confirm what information must be disclosed. Representation does not erase all notice requirements. Avoid posting the report, the links, or sensitive identity material publicly.

What if the platform does not comply?

The FTC enforces the platform requirements and accepts reports about platforms that do not comply. The original submission date, links, and responses make the issue clear, so we keep that record for every link in your case. A regulator complaint is distinct from a removal confirmation or a personal damages award.

The DMCA is a copyright process. The person in an image is not necessarily its copyright owner. Its counter-notice waiting period is not an initial removal deadline. Use the Copyright Office explanation to understand that separate route.

How this differs from NCMEC Take It Down

The similarly named NCMEC service concerns imagery created before a person turned 18. It is not the same as filing a notice under the federal Act. Our TAKE IT DOWN Act guide explains the Act in more detail and the distinction between source and search removal.

Choose your next step

Already have links? Review my removal scope. Emergency Takedown is a one-time fee based on unique domains: $499 for 1–5, $799 for 6–15, $1,299 for 16–30, and $1,999 for 31+. You see the scope and price before paying. We handle authorized requests and document the work on agreed links; no universal removal outcome is promised.

Need links first? Use the free text-only scan with your own names or handles and consent. It does not use facial recognition, access private accounts, or establish that every copy has been found. Shield monitoring is a separate $29/month service with twice-weekly searches.

If you were under 18 when the content was created, use NCMEC Take It Down or the CyberTipline. Do not download or forward sexual imagery involving a minor to make a report.