Your rights, in plain words
Indian rules give you ways to act. Here is what they mean in plain language.
Platforms must act on non-consensual intimate content
Under the IT Rules, 2021 (Rule 3(2)(b)), intermediaries must take reasonable and practicable measures to remove or disable access to qualifying intimate content within 24 hours of receiving a complaint from the affected person or an authorised representative. The rule has conditions; a notice can state the grounds for a qualifying complaint.
There is a government procedure for NCII
The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has issued a standard operating procedure for handling non-consensual intimate imagery. It sets out how complaints should be received and acted on.
You can report it as a crime
The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) accepts online cybercrime complaints. Its women-and-children section offers an anonymous option for certain sexual-content complaints; other reports may require your details.
If a platform ignores you, you can escalate
Intermediaries must publish a grievance mechanism. After contacting the relevant officer, a user who is dissatisfied with the decision, or receives no response within the prescribed period, may be able to appeal to the Grievance Appellate Committee. Cybercrime can also be reported to the police or cybercrime portal; GAC is not a cybercrime investigation body.
You can get free legal help
People who meet the eligibility rules can apply for free legal aid through NALSA and local Legal Services Authorities. One Stop Centres may also help women facing violence with police and legal steps.
Different rules protect anyone under 18
Content involving a person under 18 is handled under POCSO and child-protection processes, not the adult flow. Do not save or share such an image, even as evidence.
This is general information, not legal advice, and the law can change. For advice on your situation, ask NALSA about eligibility for free legal aid or consult a lawyer.
Use the right reporting path.
The URL-only flow helps prepare a takedown notice you can review and sign. Dispatch waits for verified contacts and templates.