What Is NCMEC's Take It Down Program?

Take It Down (TakeItDown.NCMEC.org) was created in response to the growing crisis of NCII involving minors, including both authentic images and AI-generated deepfakes. The program works by allowing a minor — or a parent or guardian acting on their behalf — to create a hash (a digital fingerprint) of an intimate image without sharing the actual image with NCMEC or platforms. The hash is shared with participating platforms, which use it to automatically detect and block that content from being uploaded. As of 2026, 18+ major platforms participate in the Take It Down hash-sharing program.

Key facts about this term

1. The minor (or guardian) creates a hash without sharing the image The Take It Down tool processes the image on the user's device and generates a hash. The actual image is never transmitted to NCMEC or platforms — only the hash.
2. The hash is shared with participating platforms NCMEC shares the hash with all participating platforms. Each platform uses the hash to automatically detect and block uploads of that specific content.
3. Adults can use parallel mechanisms Take It Down is designed for minors. Adult victims can access similar hash-based prevention through StopNCII.org (for Meta and other participating platforms) and platform-specific programs.