BTWith romance in the air, many adults will be getting to know each other or looking to spice up their relationships, which can sometimes involve intimate images being shared and received. Sending intimate images, commonly known as nudes, can be a healthy and enjoyable aspect of many relationships. However, there are several things to consider to ensure that your intimate images are shared in a safe and consensual way.
Consent is Key
Consent is essential in any healthy relationship or sexual activity! Before sharing intimate photos or videos, make sure that you feel comfortable sending them and that the person viewing them consents to receiving them.
It’s important to remember that consent shouldn’t just be assumed and should be explicitly agreed to, freely given, and enthusiastic. Clear communication is important, so make sure to check in and respect that consent can be withdrawn at any time.
If you receive an intimate photo, remember to respect the person who sent you it. Intimate images should never be used to abuse, embarrass, humiliate or blackmail anyone. If someone trusts you with a picture of themselves, they mean it for you, not anyone else. Don't forward it or share it online.
If your relationship ends, it’s always best to delete any intimate images that have been shared with you, and it's okay to want your intimate images deleted too.
Remember – Only do things that make you feel comfortable.
I want to share an intimate picture of myself, how can I send them safely?
Whilst there is no guaranteed way to protect your intimate images from ever being shared when sending them to someone, there are a few ways that you can ensure your privacy is better protected:
- If you’re sharing messages across apps, you could consider using encrypted messaging apps to help add an extra layer of protection against hacking or unauthorised access.
- You can also use apps that limit the number of times an image can be seen, or can notify you if an image has been screenshotted.
- You can use StopNCII.org to protect your intimate images, find out more below.
If you’re worried about your identity being doxed, there are several ways you can protect your identity so that your photos don’t reveal too much about you; whether it be by hiding your face or covering identifying features such as tattoos.
You can also check your privacy settings to make sure they’re secure and limited to only display information you're comfortable sharing on your profile.
Remember – It’s your choice whether or not to share your face or disclose personal information.
How can I protect my images from being accessed from my device?
There are a few ways that you can protect your images from being easily accessed from your phone or device.
When taking intimate photos, it could be a good idea to make sure that they don’t get stored on any cloud storage systems, which may make them less vulnerable to breaches. Your phone setting should have the option to turn off automatic uploads to your devices’ cloud storage.
You can also add extra security by making sure your devices are password-protected, alongside locking any images you want to keep safe in secure folders so that no one can accidentally access or view them.
Remember – Some apps automatically download shared photos; you can turn this off in your app settings.
How can I protect my images from being shared publicly online?
If you’re worried about your intimate images being shared, or you want to protect them just in case, you can use StopNCII.org. StopNCII.org works to digitally hash private sexual content and can then prevent them from being shared publicly across partnered platforms. Currently, StopNCII.org is supported across Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Reddit, Bumble, OnlyFans, PornHub and Snapchat.
You can find out more about how StopNCII.org works here.
Where can I get help?
If your intimate images do get shared without consent, remember that you are not alone and that you have done nothing wrong. You can always contact the Revenge Porn Helpline for advice and support. Our Helpline can be contacted anonymously on our website, or by calling 0345 6000 459 and emailing help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk
In the UK, the laws around sharing intimate images without consent vary, and you can read more about how your intimate images are protected by law on our website here.
