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If someone has created or shared a sexualized AI deepfake of your child, your child is not to blame, and the image can still cause real harm even if it is fabricated. Avoid forwarding it. First check that your child is safe, then report the post to the platform and use the U.S. child-specific reporting and removal options below.
Start by supporting your child and checking for immediate danger
Tell your child that they are not at fault and that you will work through the next steps together. Do not ask them to prove the image is fake, blame them for their likeness, or ask them to send you the image so you can inspect it.
Ask calmly whether anyone is demanding money, more images, passwords, access to an account or device, or an in-person meeting. Ask whether your child feels in immediate danger. If there is an immediate threat, contact local emergency services.
UNICEF says, “Deepfake abuse is abuse, and there is nothing fake about the harm it causes.” Its statement describes sexualized images of children generated or manipulated with AI tools as child sexual abuse material. The applicable criminal law and how it applies depend on the jurisdiction and facts.
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Do not spread the image while seeking help
Do not repost, forward, or send the image to friends, school groups, or others to prove what happened. The FTC specifically tells young people not to share explicit images or deepfakes, even as a joke. Avoid making additional copies of sexualized imagery of a minor while trying to document the incident.
Write down the information needed to report it
Record where the image appeared, the account name or identifier, the page or post URL, when you saw it, and any threatening messages. Keep confirmation details for reports you submit. This context can help the platform or authorities locate the post without circulating the image further.
Report the post to the platform and request removal
- Use the platform’s report option or help center. Identify the content as an intimate image of a minor that is AI-generated or manipulated. Provide the post URL and account details.
- Ask for removal. In the United States, the FTC says covered platforms must provide a process to request removal of covered intimate imagery. After a request, the platform must remove the image and known identical copies within 48 hours.
- Escalate a missing, broken, or ignored process. Report the platform to the FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov if it has no working request process or fails to act within the required period.
Only the platform can remove content from its own service. An FTC report can address platform compliance, but it does not itself take the image down.
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Use NCMEC’s options for a minor
For a child, report the situation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) through its CyberTipline. This is a reporting route for suspected child exploitation, not a guarantee that every copy will immediately disappear.
If your family has a copy of the intimate image, NCMEC’s Take It Down service is the specified tool to help limit its spread. It is designed to work without sharing the image itself. Check NCMEC’s site for eligibility and current instructions; using the service does not guarantee removal everywhere.
If someone is threatening or blackmailing your child
The FTC’s advice for image-based blackmail is not to pay, send more images, provide access to financial accounts or devices, or continue communicating with the person. Stop contact, block the account, and tell a trusted adult or other support person. Report the threat to local law enforcement and the FBI; if the victim is a minor, also make a report through NCMEC’s CyberTipline.
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Involve the school when peers or school safety are affected
If classmates are involved, the image is circulating in school channels, or your child’s attendance or sense of safety at school is affected, contact a trusted school administrator or counselor. Explain the concern without forwarding the image and ask what the school can do to address bullying and further sharing.
Know what the U.S. reporting routes can and cannot do
| Need | Route | What it does | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove a post from a specific service | Platform report or removal request | Requests removal of the posted image and known identical copies under the U.S. process described by the FTC. | Only that platform can remove content from its service; keep the report details. |
| Report suspected child exploitation | NCMEC CyberTipline | Routes a minor-related report for assessment and appropriate follow-up. | It is a report, not a promise that every copy will disappear immediately. |
| Help limit future circulation if a copy is available | NCMEC Take It Down | Provides a minor-focused service to help limit spread without sharing the image itself. | Check NCMEC for current eligibility and process details; it does not guarantee removal everywhere. |
| Report threats or suspected crimes | Local law enforcement and the FBI; NCMEC as well for a minor | Provides a route to report blackmail or suspected criminal conduct. | Legal outcomes and applicable offenses depend on jurisdiction and the facts. |
| Raise a covered platform’s failure to comply | FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov | Accepts reports about a platform’s missing process or failure to comply with the U.S. removal requirement. | The FTC oversees compliance; it does not remove the content from the platform. |
Understand the geographic limits and scale of the problem
The 48-hour removal process and FTC routes described here are U.S.-specific. State laws and procedures may offer additional protections. If you are outside the United States, contact local child-protection and law-enforcement services and confirm the relevant platform process for your jurisdiction.
UNICEF, ECPAT International, and INTERPOL reported on 4 February 2026 that at least 1.2 million children across 11 countries disclosed having had images manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in the preceding year. UNICEF described this as an estimate based on nationally representative household surveys of internet-using children aged 12–17 in those countries, with national prevalence estimates modeled using UN population data and estimated child internet-use rates. UNICEF said some country estimates equated to 1 in 25 children; that figure is not a universal prevalence rate.
For more detail on the U.S. platform process, see the FTC’s guidance on reporting intimate images shared without consent and its advice for parents and young people. UNICEF’s 4 February 2026 statement is available at UNICEF.
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