Deepfakes.
Revenge porn.
Sextortion.
No matter what you call it, tech-enabled sexual abuse is harmful and unethical—and it should be a crime in every state.
Whether perpetrators use real or AI-generated content without someone's consent, tech-enabled sexual abuse robs individuals of control over their image, voice, and personal boundaries.
And every time someone distributes or duplicates this nonconsensual material, they perpetuate the abuse.
Here’s how to stay safer and what to do if you or someone you care about is targeted:
Perpetrators use a variety of manipulative and abusive methods to groom, coerce, and harm individuals online.
Because technology progresses so quickly, not all of these behaviors are illegal (yet)—but they are all abusive.
- Deepfakes: AI-generated and AI-manipulated photos, videos, or audio that depict someone in explicit or compromising situations without their consent.
Behind the Language: “Deepfakes”
In 2017, a Reddit user called @deepfake shared an advanced face-swapping technology in a /deepfakes subreddit, enabling online predators to create thousands of nonconsensual explicit videos targeting women.
- Revenge Porn: Sharing real intimate photos or videos without the subject’s consent, often as retaliation or blackmail.
- Sextortion: Using threats to distribute intimate content to coerce victims into sharing more photos or videos, money, or personal favors.
- Catfishing: Pretending to be someone else online to deceive someone into entering a relationship or sharing intimate content.
- Cyberbullying & Cyberstalking: Threatening, harassing, or tracking someone online without their permission.
- Hacking: Stealing private images or information by breaking into personal accounts or devices.
These tech-enabled abuses can cause humiliation, emotional trauma, job loss, and ongoing fear.
Explicit content that involves children is known as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), which causes immense harm and perpetuates exploitation.
Consent is the foundation of all healthy interactions, including online interactions. Without consent, sharing intimate content (real or manipulated) is sexual abuse.
You cannot give consent if you are:
- Underage
- Intoxicated or incapacitated
- Asleep or unconscious
- Under intimidation, threat, or unequal power dynamics
Even if you shared something willingly, that doesn’t mean someone else has the right to share, manipulate, or use it against you.
RAINN and other experts sometimes use the term non-consensual intimate images (NCII) when describing sexually explicit content that’s created or shared without the subject’s consent.
Informed, capable adults may legally choose to participate in the creation and distribution of consensual pornographic media. But when explicit content is created or shared without the subject’s legal consent, it is not pornography; it is sexual violence.
NCII causes lasting emotional, professional, and social harm. Survivors are often stigmatized, blamed, and retraumatized every time the content is shared or viewed.
Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) refers to any image, video, or content that depicts the sexual exploitation of minors. CSAM (pronounced “SEE-sam”) encompasses both real imagery and AI-generated or manipulated imagery.
By law, children can never consent to sexual acts. Therefore, creating or sharing explicit images (real or AI-generated) of minors is always a crime.
Along with being illegal, CSAM causes severe, long-term harm to the children who are exploited and retraumatized every time the material is shared or viewed.
- CSAM contributes to the abuse of real children
- CSAM anonymizes and normalizes pedophilia, child abuse, and trafficking
Online platforms, encrypted messaging apps, and anonymous forums contribute to the widespread availability of CSAM—and even advanced detection efforts are struggling to keep up.
If you encounter CSAM, report it immediately to the CyberTipline at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Reporting helps to identify, rescue, and protect victims of CSAM; reporting also enables law enforcement to identify perpetrators and bring them to justice.
There is no way to guarantee your child’s safety, but there are steps parents, guardians, and caregivers can take to help kids stay safer online.
- Have open conversations. Talk to your children about online risks in age-appropriate ways. Encourage them to come to you if they feel unsafe or pressured online.
- Monitor online activity. Use parental controls, review privacy settings, and keep devices in shared spaces.
- Educate kids about consent. Teach children about the importance of boundaries and that they should never feel pressured to share photos or personal information.
- Promote healthy skepticism. Warn children about interacting with strangers online and be cautious of anyone asking for photos or videos—even people they know.
- Stay informed. Keep up with the latest online trends, apps, and tools predators may use. Knowledge empowers you to take proactive steps.
Nothing you do can guarantee your online safety, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of being targeted.
1. Secure Your Devices & Accounts
- Use strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication
- Set a passcode for all devices
- Log out of accounts when you’re finished
- Avoid saving passwords in browsers
2. Be Cautious with Your Content
- Limit what personal information or photos you post online
- Avoid sharing explicit, intimate, or private content—even with people you know
3. Improve Your Social Media Privacy
- Adjust the platform’s privacy settings to control who can see your content
- Turn off geolocation tagging and check-in features
- Google yourself periodically to see what personal information is publicly available
- Regularly review your social media privacy settings
4. Protect Your Webcam & Device Camera
- Cover your webcam or phone camera when not in use
- Avoid public Wi-Fi for personal activities
- Be cautious about opening unknown messages, links, or downloads
5. Block & Report Abusive Content
- Use the reporting and blocking features on social platforms
- Take screenshots of abusive content as evidence before reporting it
If you or someone you know is targeted online, help is available. You deserve support, and these best practices can help you regain your sense of control and security:
Abusive online content is inherently upsetting. Your gut reaction may be to try to delete or hide the content. Instead, do your best to preserve evidence of the abuse by saving, printing, or taking screenshots of the abusive material. Try to capture dates, time stamps, and as much identifying information about the perpetrator as possible.
If the abuse occurred on a public website or social media channel, you can report the content to the site's administrator or host. Look for a “report” button near the chat window.
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Report to Law Enforcement
Don’t hesitate to contact law enforcement or a lawyer. They can help you understand whether a crime has occurred and if a criminal or civil case is possible. Find out if you can use the evidence you collected to gain an order of protection that includes contact over social media and other digital platforms.
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Report CSAM: Child Sexual Assault Material
If you suspect a minor is being abused—that's anyone under 18 years old—immediately contact 911 and report the abuse to the CyberTipline at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
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Report Tech-Enabled Workplace Sexual Harassment
Tech-enabled sexual abuse among co-workers may be considered a form of sexual harassment, which is illegal. Contact your Human Resources Department to report the activity or file a complaint with the FBI.
If the person making you uncomfortable is another student, teacher, or administrator at your K-12 school, college, or university, consider reporting the behavior to the Title IX officer or a trusted authority figure.
Tech-enabled sexual abuse is a violation of your rights, dignity, and safety.
But we can work toward a future where everyone has control over their digital presence by:
- Taking proactive steps to stay safer online
- Spreading awareness of the risks of tech-enabled sexual abuse
- Advocating for stronger laws that promote safety, accountability, and justice
Together, we can combat tech-enabled sexual abuse and create a safer Internet for everyone.
SOURCES
1. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Verizon, Transportation Security Administration, JP Morgan Chase & Co., United States Secret Service, Experian, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance, Melian LLC, & Deloitte & Touche. (2021). Increasing Threat of DeepFake Identities. Department of Homeland Security.
2. Science & Tech Spotlight: Combating Deepfakes | U.S. GAO. (2024, March 11). Government Accountability Office.
3. Deepfake Technology. (n.d.). Organization for Social Media Safety.
4. Sensity (formerly Deeptrace), Patrini, G., Cavalli, F., Cullen, L., & Ajder, H. (2019, September). The State of Deepfakes: Landscape, Threats, and Impact. The State of Deepfakes.