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title: Online Harm & Platform Accountability
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## It happened virtually, but the harm is real.
Apps and platforms are often built for engagement and clicks at any cost. When that design exposes people, especially children, to exploitation, deepfakes, or abuse, the damage doesn't stay on a screen.
[Free Case Consultation](https://robertpeterslaw.com/contact/online-harm?hsLang=en)
# Online Harm & Platform Accountability
#### AI-generated sexual imagery of minors.
Someone pulled everyday photos from social media and used AI to create sexual images of a child.
#### Private images and deepfakes.
Someone posted real or AI-generated images online without consent, and you need to get them removed.
#### Images shared by a former partner.
A former partner shared intimate images, or threatened to, as a way to humiliate, harm, or control.
#### Sextortion or online blackmail.
Someone threatened to share intimate images, real or fake, unless they received money or more images.
#### Hosting abusive content.
A website or platform kept hosting abusive images or videos, even after being told what they were.
#### Harmful AI chatbots.
An AI chatbot encouraged dangerous behavior, or engaged a minor in sexual conversation.
#### Dangerous app or platform design.
Features built to maximize engagement exposed a child to predators, harmful content, or compulsive use.
## Behind every image is a real person.
When the harm happens online, it can be hard to know where to turn. Images spread faster than they can be reported, platforms can be difficult to reach, and many families carry a sense of shame that belongs entirely to the people who caused the harm or failed to stop its spread.
I've spent much of my career on these exact issues.
As a young prosecutor, I handled a case against a man who had accessed what was then the world's largest child sexual abuse material website on the dark web. The images and videos depicted extremely young children, enduring horrific abuse. We convicted him, and he was sentenced to prison. At sentencing, I told the judge the truth: I didn't know where those children were. I didn't know whether the abuse had stopped, or how to help them. Every file was reported to the appropriate authorities, and I've since learned who some of those children were. But that question has never left me, and it has fueled my work ever since.
I've trained prosecutors and investigators nationwide on AI-generated abuse material, deepfakes, and sextortion. I've written about how investigators obtain data from online service providers, and how to respond when those providers obstruct investigations. I also designed and led development of a federally funded open-source intelligence tool for child exploitation investigators, and I train digital forensic examiner experts to testify in court.
I bring that understanding of how offenders operate, how these platforms work, and how they respond when harm is reported, to individuals and families seeking accountability.
## The Numbers Are Climbing
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**400,000+** reports involving generative AI and child exploitation in 2025, up from about 4,700 in 2023, an increase of more than 8,000%.
**137** financial sextortion reports a day on average in 2025, a 37% increase over the year before.
**70%+** of reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material came from mainstream social media and online storage platforms.
**1.4 million** reports of online enticement in 2025, a 156% increase from the previous year.
*Source:* [*National Center for Missing & Exploited Children*](https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline/cybertiplinedata)
[More About Me →](https://www.hubspot.com/)
## How We Move Forward
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#### Schedule a free case consultation.
We'll have a confidential conversation with someone who understands these cases and will treat your situation with care.
We look at every choice that led to the harm, including the individuals who exploited, and the companies whose platforms and technology made it possible.
#### Your priorities guide the case.
Whether your first concern is removal, privacy, or accountability, I'll explain your options, and the major decisions are yours.
#### Acting early can help.
Early steps can make a real difference: submitting removal requests, preserving records, and understanding the filing deadlines that apply. Because platforms don't typically retain data indefinitely, acting sooner can help keep important information available.
#### The shame was never yours.
Accountability means the individuals who caused these harms, and the companies that built, profited from, or ignored them, have to answer for their choices.
## Questions You May Be Asking
Aren't tech companies protected from lawsuits?
Not necessarily.
A federal law known as Section 230 often protects online platforms from liability for content their users post, but that protection is not unlimited. Courts have allowed some claims to proceed based on a company's own conduct, such as how it designed its product or whether it warned users about known risks.
Federal law also includes exceptions for certain claims. Whether a claim can move forward depends on the facts, which is one reason these cases require careful evaluation.
What can I do if intimate images of me were posted online?
Since May 2026, a federal law called the Take It Down Act has required covered platforms to remove nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes, within 48 hours of a valid request. Platforms must also make their process for requesting removal clear and conspicuous, so it's easy to find.
If a platform doesn't remove the images within 48 hours, or you can't find a clear way to request removal, you can report the platform to the Federal Trade Commission at [TakeItDown.ftc.gov](https://www.takeitdown.ftc.gov/). The[Federal Trade Commission](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2026/05/take-it-down-act-enforcement-starts-now-what-know-about-ftc-tida) enforces these requirements and offers more information about the law.
If the images depict someone under 18, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's free [Take It Down](https://takeitdown.ncmec.org) service can also help. Despite the similar name, it's separate from the federal law. It creates a digital fingerprint of an image on your own device, without uploading the image, so participating platforms can find and remove copies.
For images taken of individuals who were 18 or older, [StopNCII.org](https://stopncii.org) offers a similar free service. It works the same way: the digital fingerprint is created on your device, the image itself is never uploaded, and participating platforms use it to detect and remove matching content.
What should I save if something happened online?
Screenshots of messages, profiles, and usernames, along with dates and links, can all help. Avoid deleting accounts or conversations, even if that's your first instinct.
If images involve a minor, don't delete them, but don't forward or share them either as doing so is often a crime. Report child sexual abuse material immediately to the [NCMEC CyberTipline](https://www.cybertipline.org) and local law enforcement, who can direct you on what to do with the material, and talk with an attorney about next steps.
What if law enforcement isn't able to help?
Most officers want to help, but an agency can only act on matters within its jurisdiction, both geographically and by the type of offense. With online crimes, more than one location may be involved, including where messages or images were sent from and where they were received. That means more than one agency may have jurisdiction.
If a report hasn't yet been made to an agency where the crime occurred, that is typically the best place to start. In most cases, a local or state agency, such as a sheriff's office, city police department, or state police, is the most responsive option and the most likely to have jurisdiction.
When several agencies could handle a matter, the best fit can vary. When I consult with clients, I look at whether an agency has a special victims unit or a team focused on crimes against children or online exploitation. Larger agencies sometimes have specialized units with training in these offenses, which can make a real difference in how a case is handled.
If a report has been made and the response still falls short, an attorney's perspective can sometimes help, whether that means identifying the right agency or exploring civil options that can move forward alongside, or independently of, a criminal case. As a former prosecutor, I've seen how these cases are evaluated from the other side of the table, which can help clarify what an agency needs to move a case forward.
My child is being threatened online. What should we do right now?
Stop responding, and don't send money or more images. Payment rarely ends the threats.
Don't delete the account, messages, or images; preserve usernames and conversations, and report what's happening immediately to the [NCMEC CyberTipline](https://www.cybertipline.org) and local law enforcement.
Most importantly, talk with your child and make sure they know that you support them, and they are not to blame. If your child is in crisis, call or text the [988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline](https://988lifeline.org).
### Power should answer to the law, even online.
Technology will continue to change. The responsibility to protect the people who use it, especially children, should be constant and unmoving.
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The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every situation is different, and you should consult an attorney about your specific circumstances. Viewing this site or contacting Robert J. Peters Law & Justice Firm, PLLC does not create an attorney-client relationship. Descriptions of past cases do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future matter.
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