Sharing intimate images or videos without the consent of the person depicted is one of the most painful violations anyone can suffer online. It can happen after a relationship ends, through blackmail, after an account is hacked or, increasingly often, through fake images created with artificial intelligence. In all these cases one point must be clear from the start: the responsibility lies with whoever shares, not with whoever is depicted. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and there are concrete tools to fight back.
What the law says
In Italy, the unlawful dissemination of sexually explicit images or videos intended to remain private, without the consent of the people depicted, is a specific offence under Article 612-ter of the Criminal Code. The offence covers not only whoever made or took the material, but also anyone who, having received it, spreads it further to cause harm.
For fake images generated with AI, Italy's 2025 artificial intelligence law introduced a dedicated offence for spreading generated or altered content that causes unjust harm. So even when the image is not real, protection exists.
The first hours
Do not delete anything
The instinct is to make everything disappear. First, though, preserve the evidence: screenshots of the pages or chats where the images appear, with the address, account name, date and time. If you receive threats or demands for money, save those messages too. If it is too hard for you, ask someone you trust to do it for you.
Do not pay and do not negotiate
If someone threatens to share the images in exchange for money or more material, it is extortion, often called sextortion. Paying guarantees nothing: blackmailers tend to ask again. End the conversation after saving the messages and do not send anything else.
Flag it to the platforms
All major platforms prohibit non-consensual intimate images and have dedicated channels, often reviewed as a priority. Choose the specific category, not a generic one. State that you are the person depicted and that you never consented to publication.
Who can help you
| Whom to contact | What for |
|---|---|
| The police | Reporting the offence and investigating the perpetrator |
| The Italian data protection authority (Garante) | Flagging the risk of dissemination, even pre-emptively, with possible action on platforms |
| A lawyer | Assessing criminal and civil action |
| Anti-violence centres and support services | Psychological support and guidance |
The Garante provides a channel for people who fear their intimate images may be shared: you can turn to it even before dissemination happens, for example when someone threatens to do so.
Preventing dissemination
There are international initiatives, joined by several major platforms, that let you create a digital fingerprint of your images directly on your own device, without uploading or sending them to anyone. Participating platforms use that fingerprint to recognise and block the same images if someone tries to post them. This can be especially useful when you fear future sharing.
Search engines
If the images, or pages containing them, appear in search results for your name, the main search engines offer specific forms to request the removal of non-consensual intimate images, including fake ones. List every address you find and repeat the check over time.
If you are a parent
If the victim is a minor, the situation is even more serious and must be treated as urgent. Do not scold your child: they need to feel protected in order to tell you everything. Preserve the evidence without spreading it further, not even by forwarding it to other adults, and go to the police immediately.
Looking after yourself
The emotional impact of this experience can be very strong: shame, fear, isolation. These are understandable reactions, but you do not have to face them alone. Talking to someone you trust or to a professional helps. Delegating the periodic check of whether the images are online to someone else can spare you from seeing them again and again.
In short
- Responsibility lies with whoever shares: non-consensual sharing of intimate images is a crime.
- Preserve evidence before any removal and do not pay blackmailers.
- Flag it to the platforms using the specific category and report it to the police.
- The Garante can act pre-emptively, even when sharing is only threatened.
- Seek support from people you trust or professionals and delegate repeated checks.