Why this happens

Intimate images shared inside a relationship survive long after the relationship ends. The most common trigger is a contested breakup, a new partner, or financial dispute.

Most leaks are first posted to platforms the perpetrator believes are anonymous. They rarely are. Account metadata, IP logs, and payment records routinely identify the source.

Legal framework in Sweden

Brottsbalken 4 kapitel 6c § (unlawful violation of personal integrity). Fine or up to 2 years imprisonment. Up to 4 years for the gross offence.

Sweden's 2018 reform created a general offence of unlawful violation of personal integrity that covers distribution of intimate images, sexual content, and other material capable of seriously damaging the depicted person. The gross offence carries up to 4 years.

Evidence to preserve

Do not: Do not contact the ex partner before evidence is preserved and notices are filed. Confrontation gives them time to delete content and craft a denial.

Five step removal process

  1. 1

    Preserve all evidence first

    Full page screenshot of every URL where the content appears, with the URL bar visible. The username or account handle that posted the content.

  2. 2

    File the Brottsbalken 4 kap. § 6c (olaga integritetsintrång) criminal complaint

    Report to local police or the national cybercrime unit. Näthatsgranskaren can assist.

  3. 3

    Submit an erasure request under GDPR Article 17 (right to erasure) plus Dataskyddslagen

    Each major platform has a designated data protection contact. The request must cite the legal basis and identify the URLs. The platform has 30 days to respond. IMY accepts complaints for non compliance.

  4. 4

    Run a biometric scan to find every additional copy

    Content posted to one platform is rarely confined to one platform. ScanErase identifies every current hosting location in a single scan, including mirror copies and AI generated variants.

  5. 5

    File TAKE IT DOWN Act notices for covered platforms

    Use your scan report to file the federal 48 hour notice yourself, in parallel with your domestic rights. The two regimes are cumulative, not exclusive.

Statutory citations to include in your complaint

Frequently asked questions

Is leaked by ex a crime in Sweden?

Yes. Brottsbalken 4 kapitel 6c § (unlawful violation of personal integrity) criminalises this conduct. Fine or up to 2 years imprisonment. Up to 4 years for the gross offence.

What evidence should a Sweden victim of leaked by ex preserve?

Full page screenshot of every URL where the content appears, with the URL bar visible. The username or account handle that posted the content. Any direct messages, texts, or emails from the ex partner referencing the content. The original image metadata if you still have the source file, which can prove provenance.

Does GDPR Article 17 (right to erasure) apply to this scenario?

Yes. GDPR Article 17 (right to erasure) plus Dataskyddslagen gives the victim a direct erasure right against any platform processing the imagery. IMY enforces non compliance.

What support is available in Sweden for leaked by ex?

Näthatsgranskaren provides direct support to victims and can assist with both the criminal complaint and the platform removal process. Contact at https://nathatsgranskaren.se.

Can a Sweden victim also file a US TAKE IT DOWN Act notice?

Yes when the hosting platform is subject to US jurisdiction. The 48 hour federal removal obligation runs in parallel with rights under Brottsbalken 4 kap. § 6c (olaga integritetsintrång) and GDPR Article 17 (right to erasure) plus Dataskyddslagen.

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