Google partners with UK nonprofit to detect and remove nonconsensual intimate images from Search
Google is stepping up efforts to protect users from online abuse. This week, Google partners with UK nonprofit to detect and remove nonconsensual intimate images from Search, strengthening its fight against revenge porn and harmful content.
Image Credits:Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto / Getty Images
The tech giant is working with StopNCII, a U.K.-based nonprofit that helps adults protect their privacy. The group creates unique “hashes,” or digital fingerprints of intimate photos and videos, allowing platforms like Google to detect and remove harmful content before it spreads.
How the partnership works
StopNCII’s system ensures that private photos never leave a person’s device. Instead, the platform generates a secure hash that is shared with partner companies. When Google spots matching content online, it can quickly block or remove it from appearing in Search results.
This approach adds a proactive layer of protection, reducing the burden on survivors who often face the emotional trauma of filing multiple takedown requests.
Google’s ongoing fight against harmful content
Google already offers tools that allow people to request removal of nonconsensual intimate images (NCII) from Search. The company has also been improving its ranking systems to make this type of harmful content less visible online.
In a recent blog post, Google acknowledged feedback from survivors and advocates, emphasizing that “given the scale of the open web, there’s more to be done.” The StopNCII partnership aims to fill that gap by automating part of the detection and removal process.
Why this matters
Nonconsensual intimate imagery has become a growing issue, with victims facing lasting reputational, emotional, and sometimes professional damage. Google’s partnership with StopNCII signals a stronger industry-wide shift toward survivor-centered solutions.
Although Microsoft adopted StopNCII’s system last year, Google’s move shows a broader recognition that tech platforms need shared tools to fight this problem effectively. By joining forces, they can reduce harm faster and protect more people worldwide.
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