Preserve the evidence for political deepfake on Tumblr

Why this matters for political deepfake on Tumblr

Political deepfake attacks have become a documented election interference vector. Adversaries use AI deepfake intimate imagery as a high impact attack because the damage occurs during the rapid news cycle when correction is impossible.
Tumblr reblogs create persistent copies of content across hundreds of unrelated blogs. A single original post can have thousands of reblogs, each requiring a separate URL in the takedown notice.
Public figure deepfake content benefits from coordinated communications response in addition to legal removal. The audience for the content is also the audience for the correction, which means the legal track and the public response must be sequenced together.
Social platform distribution drives the majority of secondary discovery because account based interactions surface content to the victim's existing network within hours.
Political deepfake cases receive coordinated FBI response because of the election integrity dimension. The federal investigation often produces results that exceed what a standard NCII case would deliver. This is particularly relevant when the action you are pursuing is preserve the evidence, because first action in nearly every case. evidence preservation must precede platform notices, law enforcement reports, and any communication with the perpetrator.

How removal works

The four step deepfake removal process under the TAKE IT DOWN Act of 2026.

What to do, step by step

01
Forensically preserve every instance before any other action Capture full page screenshots with the URL bar visible, save the highest resolution copy of the political deepfakes available, and document any visible AI generator fingerprints including watermarks, edge blending artifacts, and skin texture inconsistencies. All identified URLs hosting the deepfake content
02
Run a biometric scan to find every copy across platforms political deepfake content distributed on Tumblr rarely stays there. ScanErase indexes 2.4 billion face embeddings across 200 plus platforms and identifies every current hosting location in a single scan, including mirror copies and AI generated variants.
03
Complete the forensic preservation record Captures and preserves all deepfake content in a forensically sound manner that supports both criminal prosecution and civil litigation. Evidence preservation must occur before any takedown action because removed content cannot always be recovered. For political deepfake cases on Tumblr specifically, capture the platform unique identifiers including post id, account handle, and timestamp. Capture the original post URL, the original blog name, and as many reblog URLs as possible. Tumblr's reblog graph is queryable through its API which enables batched removal requests for known reblog chains.
04
Preserve identification metadata for subpoena Even anonymous accounts produce identifiable metadata through Tumblr. Account creation IP, device fingerprint, and posting history support law enforcement subpoena to identify the perpetrator. Doe defendant filings preserve civil claims while identification proceeds.
05
Coordinate the Tumblr platform removal pipeline Tumblr accepts NCII reports through its content removal form and through its DMCA agent. The platform's 2018 adult content ban remains in effect, which means NCII reports also benefit from policy enforcement against any sexual content.
06
Notify Google and Bing for search deindexing Search engine deindexing runs in parallel to platform removal. Even after the original is removed, search engines retain cached thumbnails and snippets for weeks. File NCII removal requests with both Google and Bing alongside the platform notice.
07
File the complete evidence record for the legal track Federal Rules of Evidence 902 for self authenticating digital evidence provides the foundational legal basis for this action. Document every notice sent, every platform response, and every confirmation in a single evidence file. ScanErase produces this Verified Removal Package automatically as your case progresses.

The 48 hour statutory deadline

Statutory 48 hour removal timeline: 47 USC 223a requires platforms to remove non-consensual intimate imagery within 48 hours of a valid notice.

Legal context

Federal Rules of Evidence 902 for self authenticating digital evidence
State evidence preservation requirements for NCII criminal prosecutions
Tumblr is owned by Automattic and has historically been responsive to NCII reports. The combination of the adult content ban policy and the TAKE IT DOWN Act gives multiple grounds for removal of any reblog chain.
political deepfake statutory basis: 47 USC 223a TAKE IT DOWN Act for the underlying NCII removal
Federal election interference statutes where applicable

Frequently asked questions

Does my public figure status weaken my claim against deepfake content?

Public figure status does not weaken NCII claims. The TAKE IT DOWN Act applies to public figures identically to private individuals, and right of publicity claims provide additional civil remedies for unauthorized commercial use of celebrity likeness.

How long will Tumblr actually take to remove the deepfake content?

Tumblr typically responds in approximately 20 hours when a properly formatted statutory notice is filed. ScanErase files the notice within 5 minutes of authorization and tracks compliance through your Verified Removal Package.

What if the deepfake content is removed before I can complete the evidence preservation?

Even removed content typically remains recoverable through Internet Archive captures, search engine cached copies, and witness reproduction. The platform itself retains records that are recoverable through subpoena. Document everything you can about the URL, posting account, and timing even if the content itself is no longer accessible.

What if the perpetrator re uploads the deepfake to Tumblr after removal?

Tumblr retains hash signatures of removed NCII content which prevents identical re uploads to the same platform. A follow-up ScanErase scan checks for re uploads across all 200 plus indexed platforms, including AI generated variant versions, so you can file a new notice as soon as matches reappear.

Will the preserve the evidence action reveal my identity to Tumblr or the perpetrator?

Complete forensic record of the deepfake content with chain of custody documentation that supports admissibility in both criminal and civil proceedings. The disclosure scope is limited to what the action requires. Your scan and removal process is not disclosed to employers, family, or any third parties beyond the recipients required by the specific legal procedure.

I searched deepfakes of me are being used to attack my campaign and found this guide. What is the very first thing I should do right now?

Before any other action, forensically preserve the evidence with full page screenshots and the highest resolution file copies you can obtain. Do not allow the campaign communications team to respond independently. The legal and law enforcement response must be coordinated to preserve federal investigation options and to avoid statements that complicate the criminal case. Once evidence is preserved, the Tumblr takedown notice and the preserve the evidence action can proceed in parallel.

Forensically preserve the deepfake evidence for political deepfake on Tumblr