Intimate photos and blackmail: what to do
Written by Julien Lenaz, lead developer of cruush.
What it is
Sextortion is when someone threatens to share your private photos unless you pay or send more. It happens on every kind of app, including cruising apps.
First steps
- Do not pay. Paying rarely makes it stop and often leads to more demands.
- Do not send more photos.
- Keep the evidence: screenshots of messages, usernames and anything they have sent.
- Stop replying, then block them.
- Report them on the app. On cruush, reports sit next to the block button and a person reads each one.
Getting images taken down
StopNCII.org is a free tool for adults. It creates a digital fingerprint of your image on your own device and shares it with participating companies, so they can find and remove copies. Your image does not leave your device.
Reporting to authorities
In the United States you can report to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI, or to your local police. You never have to pay a fee for help or removal.
Reducing the risk
- Think before sending any photo with your face, tattoos or home in it.
- View-once photos limit how long a photo sits in a chat, but anyone can screenshot.
- Trust your read of a person before sharing more.