If you are under 18 and scared or unsure what to do, tell a parent, guardian, trusted adult, school counselor, or law enforcement officer immediately so you do not have to handle this situation alone.

If you discover that explicit images, videos, trafficking-related material, impersonation content, or exploitative posts involving a minor may be circulating online, act quickly — but stay organized. Preserving evidence and reporting correctly can significantly improve the chances of successful removal and investigation.

Avoid contacting the uploader directly, posting publicly about the situation, or threatening the website owner. This can:

• Cause evidence to disappear
• Alert offenders
• Trigger reposting across other sites
• Complicate law enforcement investigations

Instead, begin documenting everything carefully.

Before reporting or requesting removals:

• Screenshot webpages, usernames, and URLs
• Save direct image link
• Record dates and timestamps
• Save source code or page IDs if available
• Document any threats, extortion, or requests for payment

Important:

Do not continue redistributing or forwarding illegal material. Preserve only what is necessary for reporting and evidence.

If a minor may be involved, file a police report with your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible. Even if the content appears online or overseas, a local report helps establish:

• An official case record
• Evidence preservation
• Victim documentation
• Jurisdiction coordination with federal agencies

When speaking with law enforcement:

• Provide screenshots and URLs
• Bring timestamps and usernames
• Explain if threats, extortion, grooming, or trafficking are suspected
• Request the report number and assigned officer information

If the situation involves immediate danger, blackmail, sextortion, or active exploitation, call 911 immediately.

Parents should still report to federal agencies such as the FBI and NCMEC even after filing a local police report, as online exploitation cases often cross state or international jurisdictions.

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
https://www.ic3.gov

FBI Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Resources
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/cac

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline
https://report.cybertip.org

Polaris Human Trafficking Hotline
https://humantraffickinghotline.org

Call or Text:
1-888-373-7888
Text “HELP” to 233733

Many parents quickly discover that online exploitation cases involving minors can become technically overwhelming. Content may spread across multiple websites, search engines, social platforms, CDNs, or foreign-hosted services.

Scheduling a consultation with Black Diamond can help parents better understand:

• The takedown process
• Evidence preservation
• Escalation options
• Reporting resources
• Search engine suppression requests
• Platform and hosting complaints
• Current law enforcement reporting pathways
• Emergency response options for active exploitation cases

Black Diamond can also provide updated resources and guidance when families are struggling to navigate delayed responses, multiple reposts, anonymous uploaders, or foreign-hosted websites.

This does not replace law enforcement. Any case involving a minor should still be reported to local law enforcement, the FBI, and NCMEC immediately.

Google Explicit Content Removal Request
https://support.google.com/websearch/troubleshooter/3111061

Google Child Sexual Abuse Material Reporting Information
https://support.google.com/transparencyreport/answer/7347743

Unfortunately, many agencies are handling extremely large volumes of online exploitation cases. Parents sometimes experience:

• Delayed responses
• Jurisdiction confusion
• Limited technical resources
• Difficulty identifying foreign-hosted websites
• Slow takedown coordination

In those situations, independent preservation and takedown efforts may still proceed 

while investigations remain active.

Professional reputation and takedown specialists can sometimes assist with:

• Evidence preservation
• Platform escalation
• Emergency reporting coordination
• Search engine suppression requests
• Identification of mirrored or reposted content
• Facial recognition tracking of redistributed images
• Multi-platform removal workflows

This does not replace law enforcement. Serious cases involving minors should always be reported to federal authorities immediately.

• Never pay extortion demands
• Never send additional photos or identification
• Avoid vigilante actions or threats
• Keep communication records
• Continue monitoring reposts
• Consider counseling/support services for affected children

Many victims experience fear, shame, panic, and emotional trauma. Calm, organized action is far more effective than reacting emotionally online.

Before beginning:

• Gather all known URLs
• Collect screenshots
• Preserve usernames/profile names
• Document where the material appears in search engines
• Keep copies of prior reports submitted

This can significantly speed up escalation and removal efforts.

If active trafficking, coercion, blackmail, or threats involving a child are suspected, contact law enforcement immediately before attempting private negotiations or direct contact with offenders.