The world has reached a pivotal point in the fight against non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse. With landmark legislation like the Take It Down Act in the United States mandating that platforms remove reported NCII and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) within 48 hours, the protection of individuals from image-based abuse is now a global imperative.
For industry, this is not a distant challenge; it is now a present-day obligation. Fortunately, there is one solution that is already available and can be implemented across a global scale: StopNCII.org.
Hashing Technology: A Privacy Focussed Safeguard
Hash-matching has rapidly become an essential solution for protecting individuals online. This proven, privacy focussed technology is already the foundation of global CSAM detection systems (e.g. IWF, NCMEC’s hashing databases etc) and through our work we have been using this type of technology to extend protections against NCII.
Unlike traditional takedown methods, which are often delayed, inconsistent, and require repeated reporting, perceptual hashing offers pre-emptive, real-time protection. It prevents known NCII from reappearing without ever needing to share the original image.
But the next dimension is when industry platforms share hashes. Once a verified image is hashed, perhaps prompted by a Take It Down report or identification of synthetic NCII, that hash [fingerprint] would then be distributed to other platforms. This means automatic detection and blocking across platforms, not in isolation but as a collective industry community - the next step for StopNCII.org is to support this industry hash sharing. It is a solution that can be achieved without overwhelming workloads. It transforms the model from reactive takedown to whole scale proactive prevention.
StopNCII.org: The Global Solution for Global Change
StopNCII.org is the only platform-ready, survivor-led hashing solution built for privacy, scale, and speed.
- Victim-led: Hashes are created locally; no image ever leaves the user’s device.
- Scalable: It is able to support thousands of daily requests.
- Trusted: Backed by a network of over 100 NGOs across the globe for verified support.
A Call to Platforms: Share Hashes, Build Resilience
Legislation like the Take It Down Act and the necessity to takedown content within 48 hours is a sea-change milestone that will mean greater protections for victims. However, without shared industry hashing, the same content can resurface elsewhere, triggering new reports and additional opportunities for harm. StopNCII offers a way to halt propagation before it begins.
Now is the time for platforms to adopt StopNCII.org, integrate hash sharing and collaborate with a unified and trusted ecosystem. This is about protecting users, minimising harm, and building a safer digital environment for the future.
