For content creators who consensually share intimate material online, maintaining control over their content is an important part of protecting both their income and wellbeing. However, when images or videos are copied and shared on other websites without permission, it can feel invasive and non-consensual. While the Revenge Porn Helpline can provide support in some situations, it is equally important to understand where the limits are around what support is available under UK law.
What Can the Helpline Support With?
The Revenge Porn Helpline supports adults in the UK who have been affected by intimate image abuse. This includes situations where private, intimate content has been shared, taken, or threatened to be shared without consent. The Helpline can support individuals with reporting content and in some cases, contacting platforms on their behalf. Where content falls within the Helpline's remit, the team can:
- Report non-consensually shared intimate images and videos.
- Contact websites directly.
- Use image searching tools to identify additional locations where content has been shared.
- Provide advice and support to clients.
Please note that the Helpline cannot guarantee that content will be removed, as the final decision always rests with the website or platform hosting the material.
Are Your Images/ Videos Deemed Private or Commercial Content?
One of the most common points of confusion for content creators relates to the legal definition of a "private" image.
It is against the law in the UK for someone to share intimate images without consent. However, where images have previously been uploaded to a public platform or forum, they may no longer meet the legal definition of a private image under current legislation. This can include material that was originally published behind a paywall on platforms such as OnlyFans. Under the current legal framework, content that has been accessible to the public or a section of the public may be considered commercial rather than private content.
As a result, the Revenge Porn Helpline is generally only able to directly support cases that fall within the legal definition of intimate image abuse. Commercially created content that has been copied, reposted or redistributed without permission does not usually fall within that remit, even though the experience can be deeply distressing for creators.
My Content Has Been Copied – What Can I Do?
Although the Helpline may not be able to report commercially created content on a creator's behalf, there are still steps that can be taken.
The first recommendation is usually to contact the platform where the content was originally published. Many creator platforms have dedicated teams that work specifically on protecting creator content and responding to copyright or intellectual property complaints.
For example, OnlyFans operates dedicated creator protection and support processes to help tackle unauthorised redistribution of content. Content creators should consider contacting the platform's DMCA or trust and safety teams as a first step.
Creators can also report infringing content directly to the website where it has been reposted. Many adult websites have content removal, abuse reporting or copyright reporting systems in place and can usually be found under DMCA sections on their websites.
Tips for Reporting Content to Adult Websites
We try and provide practical guidance for people reporting content themselves. Some of the key recommendations include:
- Locate the website's support, content removal or contact us section.
- Use their dedicated email address for reporting purposes.
- Browse using private or incognito mode.
- Provide direct URLs to the content being reported.
- Be concise and polite in communications.
- Request removal of both the content and any associated thumbnails.
- Avoid sending copies of passports, driving licences or photographs holding ID documents if requested.
If a website is unresponsive, it can also be helpful to identify the site's hosting provider and submit a complaint to them. While hosting providers cannot usually remove content directly, they may be able to pass concerns to the website operator or assist with escalating issues.
We Can Still Support
Even when content falls outside the Helpline's formal reporting remit, creators do not necessarily have to navigate the process completely alone.
If you are struggling to identify a reporting route, find contact details for a website, or locate a hosting provider, the Helpline may be able to offer guidance on the most effective route to take. While support will depend on the individual circumstances of each case, the team can sometimes help people understand where and how to make reports themselves.
The emphasis here is on helping creators find appropriate reporting channels, rather than carrying out the reporting process on their behalf for commercially created content.
Contact the Helpline
The Revenge Porn Helpline supports any adult in the UK affected by intimate image abuse and takes a sex worker-friendly, non-judgemental approach. If you are a content creator or sex worker and have concerns about your images being shared online, the service can provide confidential advice and help you understand your options, even where we cannot directly intervene.
