Abuse and Blackmail Using Photos

Sharing photos and videos is easy, but controlling what happens to them afterward is difficult.

Sexual Extortion – “Sextortion” Sextortion is a form of abuse and/or blackmail that involves using personal photos and videos against someone. Sextortion occurs when someone threatens to share your intimate photos (so-called “nudes”) or videos online unless you meet their demands. These demands might include payment, sending more explicit photos, staying in a relationship, or damaging your reputation out of revenge.

Remember—if someone is threatening to share your nude (or semi-nude) photos or videos, this is illegal. If you know them and feel it’s safe, you might try to talk them out of it. However, it’s best not to respond to such demands and instead take steps to protect yourself:

If they ask for money or more photos, do not send anything or pay.
Take a screenshot to save as evidence.
Report it to the police.
Stop all communication and block the person.
Share your experience with someone you trust—a friend or family member.

How to Avoid Sextortion Remember, during live streaming or video calls, the other person can record what’s happening. Don’t assume this is a safer way to share intimate photos or videos. Avoid falling into the trap that live video sharing is safe for intimate content.