Cybersecurity experts advise on preventing intimate image leaks

Cybersecurity experts are highlighting methods to prevent the unauthorized distribution of intimate images. Zady Parra, Operational and Security Sub-manager at Zenta, advises that once an image is shared online, control over it is effectively lost. To mitigate risks, experts recommend avoiding the inclusion of identifiable facial features, using apps with self-destructing messages, and only sharing content with trusted individuals.

A digital tool called StopNCII.org has been available since 2023 to assist victims of online abuse. The platform works by generating a digital fingerprint or 'hash' of an image on the user's device without the actual image ever leaving the phone. This fingerprint is shared with participating platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Reddit, TikTok, OnlyFans, and PornHub—to block the image from being uploaded or shared on those services.