Abuse Using Technology

You might know or suspect that the abuser has posted an intimate image of you online, yet you don’t know where. Or you may know of one website where the image was posted, but it is also possible that the abuser posted it in other places that you do not know about. To try to get an image taken down, it will be important to figure out all of the websites where the abuser may have posted the image. One way to search for a specific image posted online is to use a reverse image search on search engines, such as:

• Google;
• Bing;
• TinEyes;
• Yandex; and
• KarmaDecay - for Reddit.

If you are not sure how to do a reverse image search, try searching “[Search engine name] image search.” Here are some additional tips:

If you are on a computer:

• Find the website where your image appears, right-click on the image and select Copy image URL.
• On images.google.com or any image results page, click the camera icon in the search bar. You can use a different search engine, such as Bing, if you prefer. Most search engines allow this.
• Paste the URL into the search box.

If you are on a phone, you can use the Chrome app on an Android phone, iPhone, or iPad:

• Using the Chrome app, find the website where your image appears.
• Press and hold the image. In the box that appears, touch Search Google for this image. You might need to touch the image once to enlarge it on certain devices.
• If you prefer, you can use a different browser app. In that case you may have to use the same process as if you were on a computer.

It will be important to document all of the places where the image appears in case this is needed for reporting it to the police or the courts. You can take a screenshot of the results and then go to each website and take a screenshot of each one.

This whole process can be stressful and upsetting, especially if you find your image in multiple places. You may want to ask a trusted friend to help you through it and even seek professional emotional support from an advocate or therapist.