MeitY Takedown Procedure for Intimate Photos, Videos deepfakes

By Adv.(Dr.) Prashant Mali, Cyber law Consulting

The new SOP on Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII) isn’t just another regulatory document; it’s a quiet but powerful reaffirmation of dignity in our digital age.

For the first time, India has a uniform, victim-centric playbook to get intimate images real or morphed taken down within 24 hours. Multiple reporting paths, mandatory intermediary timelines, hash-matching to prevent resurfacing, and stronger coordination between MeitY, I4C, DoT, OSCs, and police… this is the kind of systemic muscle victims have long deserved.

illustrations that show exactly what kinds of situations this NCII SOP is meant to handle. Each example reflects the scenarios described in the SOP  .

1. Private Photos Shared by an Ex

A young woman finds that her former partner has uploaded her private photos on a social platform after a breakup.
This SOP helps her get those images taken down within 24 hours.

2. Morphed Images Circulating on #WhatsApp

A college student discovers her face pasted onto a nude body and forwarded across WhatsApp groups.
This SOP forces platforms to remove the morphed content quickly and use hash-matching to prevent it from coming back.

3. Hidden-Camera Footage Posted Online #cctv

Someone’s secretly recorded bathroom or trial-room video ends up on a shady website.
The SOP triggers rapid takedown through intermediaries, I4C, DoT, and CDNs.

4. RevengePorn Uploaded on #SocialMedia

A jilted partner publishes intimate videos on Instagram to shame the victim.
The SOP ensures direct reporting to the platform + guaranteed action within 24 hours.

5. Deepfake Sexual Videos

An individual’s face is used to create an AI-generated sexual video.
The SOP classifies this under “artificially morphed images,” enabling urgent removal.

6. Leaked Cloud Storage Images

Private images stolen through hacking and posted on forums.
The SOP mandates intermediaries and LEAs to disable access and notify the victim.

7. Search Engine Results Showing Intimate #Content

Even if the content is deleted from the source, it appears in search results.
Search engines must de-index such links under the SOP.

8. Multiple Re-Uploads Across New URLs

Trolls re-upload the same NCII content through new links every few hours.
Hash banks + crawler tech ensure platforms prevent resurfacing.

9. Victim Is Scared or Unsure How to Report

A survivor is traumatized and doesn’t know where to start.
The SOP allows reporting via OSCs, NCRP (1930), intermediaries, or police whatever is easiest for her.

In short: This SOP protects anyone whose intimate, nude, sexual, or morphed images are shared without consent, ensuring rapid takedown, prevention of re-uploads, and coordinated government response