Report the harm and preserve the evidence
If someone made a sexual deepfake of you, save the URLs and account details, then report it through the platform’s intimate-image process. You do not need to prove you own the fake image’s copyright to request an eligible privacy or intimate-image review.
A practical reporting order
- Get support and save the links. If you use Fanlock, send your agent the post and profile URLs so the team can assess the reporting route within your plan. Keep a dated record of the account and any threats. You can also use the free platform routes below. Avoid amplifying the material in public replies.
- Use the appropriate hashing tool. Adults depicted in eligible intimate images can create their own StopNCII case. The image stays on the device; participating services receive a hash. The depicted person must do this, so Fanlock cannot submit a hash on your behalf. For imagery from when you were under 18, follow NCMEC Take It Down; do not download or share imagery to use the service.
- Report the image and any impersonating account. Use the intimate-image or sexual-abuse category for the post. Use impersonation for an account claiming your identity. Include your real profile and factual evidence. A fake account and a harmful image can need separate reports.
- Make a valid TAKE IT DOWN request where applicable. For qualifying NCII on a covered platform, follow its published process. The request checklist covers the signature, location, consent statement, contact details, and 48-hour clock.
- Request search removal. Use Google’s personal sexual-content process for eligible real or synthetic sexual images. Submit the specific results and source URLs. Search delisting does not delete the source material.
- Escalate threats and unanswered requests. Contact emergency services for immediate danger. Preserve extortion demands and report them to local police or IC3. If a covered platform misses a valid TAKE IT DOWN request, use the FTC complaint site.
Evidence that helps a reviewer
- Exact locations: post URLs, profile URLs, and message links, with a date and time.
- Your identity: your official profile and a concise explanation of how the image or account identifies you. Use the platform’s secure channel for any requested identity documents.
- The context: state that you did not consent, explain threats or impersonation, and keep the report receipt. Send only what the reviewer needs.
What Fanlock can help with
Fanlock scans X and Telegram for clone and impersonation accounts, with human review before reporting. Instagram is creator-submitted: send the post or profile link and the team reviews the evidence and files eligible reports within your plan’s coverage. We do not scan Instagram.
Basic includes Google and websites. Pro adds Bing/Yahoo and social takedowns; Max adds Telegram. Manual submission limits are 10 per day on Basic, 50 on Pro, and unlimited on Max. Those limits do not expand a plan’s platform coverage. See plans and coverage.
The reporting route depends on the evidence: impersonation, intimate-image abuse, an eligible TAKE IT DOWN request, or copyright infringement. A person’s likeness alone does not establish copyright ownership. Fanlock is not a law firm and cannot promise a platform’s decision or removal time.
Common questions
Should I use a deepfake detector before reporting?
You can report a nonconsensual or impersonating image without buying a detection tool. A detector’s score is not proof of consent, identity, ownership, or a platform policy violation. Your original material and account evidence can provide context.
Can I file a DMCA notice because the face is mine?
A likeness alone does not establish copyright ownership. Use privacy, intimate-image, or impersonation reporting. If the fake also copies a work you own, a separate copyright claim may be appropriate after review.
Will blocking the account remove the image?
Blocking can reduce contact from the account, but it does not remove its posts for other users. Preserve the links and file the relevant reports.
What if the image is not sexual?
Consider impersonation, fraud, harassment, or other applicable platform rules. The TAKE IT DOWN Act’s intimate-image removal process does not apply to every AI edit.
Primary sources
Last reviewed October 13, 2026. This guide provides general information; a lawyer can assess your circumstances.
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About Zander Small
co-founder of Fanlock
Zander Small co-founded Fanlock with Morgpie. He works on creator content detection and removal workflows. This article is general information, not legal advice. Meet the team.