The Federal Trade Commission enforces Section 3 of the Take It Down Act (TIDA), effective May 19, 2026. Under this section of the law, covered platforms must establish a process for victims to request the removal of intimate photos or videos shared without their consent. TIDA requires covered platforms that receive a valid request to remove the content and known identical copies within 48 hours.
Here are some important things for your business to know about complying with TIDA:
- TIDA covers a broad range of online platforms. TIDA’s definition of “covered platform” covers various websites, apps, and online services, such as social media, messaging, image or video sharing, and gaming platforms. If your business primarily provides a forum for user-generated content or regularly publishes, curates, hosts, or furnishes intimate content shared without consent, it may fall under TIDA and should comply with TIDA’s requirements.
- Platforms must establish a notice and removal process for nonconsensual intimate images. TIDA requires a platform to provide plain-language information about its notice and removal process for nonconsensual intimate photos and videos, including how someone can submit a removal request. That notice must be clear and conspicuous.
- TIDA covers a wide range of nonconsensual imagery. TIDA covers nonconsensual intimate real photos and videos as well as “digital forgeries,” such as images that were digitally created or altered using software, an app, or artificial intelligence.
- Platforms must make it easy for people to submit a removal request. Intimate content might appear in posts, messages, comments, livestreams, or other places. Depending on your platform, this might mean you need to put a clear and conspicuous notice about TIDA on your home page and wherever intimate content might appear. Consider how your platform can make it easy for users to request the removal of intimate content shared without their consent — for example, having a way for users to submit a removal request directly from the photo or video. Consider, too, how to give individuals without an account on your platform an easy way to submit a TIDA removal request. TIDA’s protections are not limited to individuals who hold an account on your platform.
- Platforms must find and remove duplicate photos or videos. People who file a request to remove an intimate image do not need to report duplicate images. TIDA requires covered platforms to make reasonable efforts to find and remove known identical copies of a reported photo or video. You must find and remove these copies within 48 hours of getting a valid removal request.
- Platforms should make it easy for people to track the status of their removal requests. Platforms should provide an identifying number for each take down request your platform receives so the person who submitted a request, the platform, and law enforcement can ensure they are discussing the same image and request. In addition, design your TIDA process to let people know you removed the reported content, or if not, why.
- Platforms can help stop intimate images shared without consent from spreading further. Consider using technology — such as hashing — to prevent the reappearance of intimate content you already removed from your platform. Also consider sharing your hashes with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Take It Down service, if images or videos involve minors, and StopNCII.org if images or videos involve people 18 and older. That way, other platforms can prevent the same content from appearing on their platforms.
- Violations of TIDA will be enforced by the FTC. The FTC will vigorously enforce TIDA. Be advised that a violation of the Take It Down Act is treated as a violation of an FTC rule. Platforms that violate the law may face FTC enforcement that could result in civil penalties of $53,088 per violation.
This guidance does not encompass all requirements that covered platforms must follow under TIDA. Your platform should review the language of the Take It Down Act to understand your full compliance obligations.