UK Proposes 48-Hour Takedown Law for Non-Consensual Intimate Images
The UK proposes a law requiring tech platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours — shifting the burden from victims to companies.
Under current rules, victims of non-consensual intimate image sharing face a gruelling process: contacting each platform individually to request removal, often while the images continue to spread. The UK government wants to end that.
A proposed amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill would require tech companies to remove intimate images shared without consent within 48 hours of a single victim report. One report would cover all platforms — no more "whack-a-mole," as Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the current system.
The law would be enforced through fines and other measures still being determined. It represents a significant shift in responsibility from victims to the platforms that host and distribute harmful content.
Key Facts
- 48-hour mandatory removal window after a single report
- One report covers all platforms — no more contacting each separately
- Amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, currently in the House of Lords
- Backed by PM Keir Starmer and the End Violence Against Women Coalition
Why This Matters
"This announcement rightly places the responsibility on tech companies to act, because it is they who can stop images from spreading, and that have profited from hosting this harm," said Janaya Walker, interim director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition.
The proposed law could set an international precedent. If the UK demonstrates that mandatory rapid removal is both technically feasible and effective, other nations may follow with similar legislation.
What We Don't Know Yet
The law is still making its way through Parliament, and key enforcement details remain undetermined. The effectiveness will depend heavily on platform compliance and the technology available to detect and remove content at speed. It also does not address the root causes of image-based abuse, or what happens to images already spread to platforms outside UK jurisdiction.
Sources: Positive News · BBC Breakfast
Published 2026-02-20 · Category: Policy & Governance
