Short answer
Capture the evidence, then use the route that matches the content. Sexual or nude fakes: report to the platform, ask Google to remove them from Search under its policy for non-consensual fake explicit imagery, and hash them with StopNCII (adults) or Take It Down (under 18). In the US, the TAKE IT DOWN Act requires covered platforms to remove such content within 48 hours of a valid request, and the FTC has enforced that since 19 May 2026. Non-sexual fakes — fake endorsements, cloned voices, fake statements — go through impersonation and privacy reports, such as YouTube’s privacy complaint for AI content that simulates you.
Step 1: capture the evidence
- Save the URLs, screenshots with dates, and the account names posting it.
- Download nothing illegal: for sexual content of anyone under 18, don’t save copies — report it straight away (see below).
- Note where it appears first and where it is being re-shared; removals work URL by URL.
Sexual or nude deepfakes
- The platform: report it as non-consensual intimate imagery. Under the US TAKE IT DOWN Act, covered platforms must offer a clear removal process and act within 48 hours of a valid request.
- Google Search: Google removes fake explicit imagery from results when you are identifiable, the content falsely depicts you nude or in a sexual situation, and it was shared without consent. You can request it from the image result or the help form, and opt to have duplicates removed.
- Hashing: StopNCII.org accepts synthetic or AI-generated images of adults; Take It Down covers anyone under 18.
- Australia: the eSafety Commissioner’s image-based abuse scheme covers digitally altered and faked images.
Fake endorsements, cloned voices and fake statements
- YouTube: a privacy complaint can cover realistic altered or synthetic content that simulates you; YouTube weighs factors such as parody, public interest and how identifiable you are.
- Facebook and Instagram: report the profile or Page as impersonation; if the fake runs as an ad, see scam ads using your face.
- TikTok and X: report under impersonation or synthetic-media rules from the post’s menu.
- When the fake damages your business or reputation, defamation and image-rights claims may apply — that is a question for a lawyer in your country.
If the content involves someone under 18
Report it immediately and don’t keep copies: in the US to NCMEC’s CyberTipline, in the UK through Report Remove or the police, elsewhere to the police. Google’s removal flow sends reports involving minors to its child sexual abuse material form.
When removals keep failing
Fakes get re-uploaded under new accounts. A coordinated case — platform reports, Google removals and hashing, with one consistent evidence file — works better than scattered reports. That is part of our content removal and Google results work; we never use “insider” channels, because there are none.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to make a deepfake of me?
It depends on the country and the content. Publishing non-consensual intimate images, including AI fakes, is a crime under the US TAKE IT DOWN Act and under laws in several other countries.
How fast must a platform remove it in the US?
Under the TAKE IT DOWN Act, covered platforms must remove non-consensual intimate images and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request.
Will Google remove a fake that isn’t sexual?
Google’s fake-imagery policy covers explicit content. Non-sexual fakes are usually handled by the hosting platform’s impersonation or privacy rules.
Do I have to send the fake to anyone?
No. Hashing tools create the fingerprint on your device, and platform reports only need the URL and a description.
Sources: Google Search Help — remove non-consensual fake explicit imagery, YouTube Help — protecting your identity, FTC — enforcing the TAKE IT DOWN Act, StopNCII.org, NCMEC — Take It Down, eSafety Commissioner — report image-based abuse