resources
OMG! My Nudes Are on the Internet and My Life is Over….or is it?
Okay. So, maybe you or someone you care about shared some content online and now the situation is spiraling out of control.
Maybe a nude pic or video was sent, and it is being shared beyond the original recipient. First, take a step back from the psychological ledge and breathe. It’s going to be okay, and there are people, organizations, and companies that can help; you’re not alone.
If it was you that shared the content, don’t worry. We aren’t here to beat you up over a decision you already made, as we are pretty confident you’re already doing a good enough job of that yourself. Below we are going to outline actual steps you can take to protect yourself or your loved one. Understandably, if you’re experiencing a maelstrom of anxiety at the moment and need some reassurance it’s going to be okay, feel free to skip the next paragraph and proceed immediately to where we detail what to do and who to contact to reclaim your digital content. Don’t fret, we won’t be offended if you want to jump ahead. Otherwise, let’s first take a look at whether Internet permanency is an actual thing.
We are not here to beat you up over a decision you made, you’re probably already doing a good enough job of that yourself.
Many of us have repeatedly been told that the Internet is permanent, and in turn, the mistakes we make online are permanent. This same sentiment was echoed in the Social Network movie, aka the Facebook movie. In the film, a young Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg, is admonished by a woman named Erica, whom he had called a bitch online. Erica sternly tells Zuckerberg that the Internet is written in ink, not pencil. For many of us, this line has come to exemplify the challenges of living in a digital age where we believe that one hasty decision can nuke our lives and accomplishes instantaneously. Admittedly, I also believed this for a long time and frequently repeated it while teaching and presenting. However, I am happy to report that this is no longer necessarily true. If content is being shared online against someone’s wishes, there are actions that can be taken to mitigate the harm and get it taken off the Net. Here are the steps to reclaim your content and sanity.
1. Recognize you are not alone
Just because you or a loved one made a mistake during a private moment doesn’t mean you have to solve this alone. Many people are unaware that technology companies and electronic service providers (ESPs) (e.g. Facebook, Google, YouTube, Instagram, Discord, etc.) are legally responsible in the U.S. to remove nonconsensual pornography content (i.e. revenge porn). For those who are interested in learning more about a tech company’s legal responsibility to remove such content look up the Digital Millennium Copyright. Act (DMCA). The law talks a lot about copyright infringement but the same legal mechanisms can be used to remove non consensual material. It is important to talk to an attorney if you’re interested in a DMCA “takedown.”
2. Reach out to organizations that can help
There are an increasing number of organizations that can direct someone on how to get content off the Net.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
NCMEC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to all issues related to the prevention of and recovery from child victimization. As a result of its mission, NCMEC has been one of the leading organizations working to make the online world safe for minors. If a minor’s (i.e. under 18) content is online, one can go directly to NCMEC’s website and file a Cybertip. According to NCMEC’s website, the Cybertipline is system where “the public and ESPs can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex-trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the Internet.” NCMEC can also help connect someone with specialized therapists, lawyers, and mentors trained to deal specifically with these issues. A Cybertip can be made here . Additionally, NCMEC lists the departments for major tech companies should you need to contact them to have content removed. It is important to note that major companies like Facebook, Google, YouTube, Microsoft, and Reddit prohibit nonconsensual pornography on their platforms.
Thorn.
Thorn (https://www.thorn.org/digital-resources-parents/) is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to combatting online child sexual abuse images (CASI), aka child pornography. Similar to NCMEC, the company can direct and assist those who are trying to remove sexually explicit images of minors from online. Additionally, the organization can help victims of sexploitation, which involves individuals blackmailing and threatening to disclose a person’s private, sexual content. Similar to NCMEC, Thorn provides important contact information for various tech companies to take down sexually explicit content.
3. Contact law enforcement
Law enforcement is working hard to combat sexual exploitation online. Additionally, many states and communities now have laws that prohibit the distribution of sexually explicit content shared in privacy. They are there to assist you.
3. Further help
For further help, one can look at End Revenge Porn’s online removal guide (https://cybercivilrights.org/online-removal/). Also, Without My Consent (https://withoutmyconsent.org/who-we-are/) is another online organization that can provide assistance and direction.
As stated, there are people, organizations, and resources available to help those trying to reclaim their private content. In future posts, we will talk about how to mitigate the risk of such material getting online and start having the Digital Birds and Bees conversation with young people.