StopNCII, a free online service designed to stop intimate images and videos being shared without consent, is helping adults protect nearly two million images worldwide and has supported more than 785,000 cases by late 2025.
The survivor-centred platform, whose name stands for Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse, was launched in 2021 by UK charity SWGfL (South West Grid for Learning), working with a coalition of technology companies around the world.
It uses a “privacy-first” system known as perceptual hashing. Rather than uploading a photo or video, StopNCII creates a unique digital fingerprint, or hash, on the user’s own device.
Only that fingerprint is securely shared with participating platforms. If a matching image is later detected, the platform can remove or block it. The original file is never sent to StopNCII or stored by the service, helping to protect the user’s privacy.
How StopNCII works
Users begin by visiting https://stopncii.org/ and following the instructions to open a case.
They then select the intimate image or video they want to protect. The tool generates a hash on the device while the original content remains there.
After the process is complete, StopNCII provides a case number and PIN. Users must keep both details safe because they cannot be recovered and are required to check the case or withdraw it.
The hash is then made available to participating technology companies. If one of those platforms identifies a file with the same digital fingerprint, it can remove the content and prevent it from being shared. Users can return to the website at any time to monitor the progress of their case.
StopNCII has received growing international recognition since its launch. Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has described it as a “leading global example” of proactive prevention of non-consensual intimate image abuse.
The UN Cybercrime Convention now formally includes NCII, while StopNCII has been recognised as an innovative preventative measure. Its technology partners include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, X, Microsoft Bing, Snap Inc. and OnlyFans.
The initiative is supported by a network of 107 non-governmental organisations, as well as groups including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Rising concern over sextortion in Ghana
The need for tools such as StopNCII is especially pressing in Ghana, where the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has reported a sharp increase in online blackmail and sextortion.
The CSA recorded 155 cases between January and April 2024, involving financial losses of GH¢103,663. During the same period in 2025, losses rose to GH¢499,044 – almost five times higher.
The authority said criminals are using increasingly sophisticated techniques, including fake social media accounts and encrypted messaging services that make them harder to trace.
Typically, offenders use attractive profile pictures to lure people into romantic or flirtatious conversations. After gaining their trust, they may request private photographs or begin explicit video calls, which are secretly recorded or saved.
The victim is then threatened with the release of the material unless money – commonly sent through mobile money – is paid. The CSA has warned that paying does not guarantee the content will be deleted. Criminals may continue demanding money or increase their threats.
Under Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), sharing private sexual images or videos without permission is a criminal offence. Convictions can lead to prison sentences of between one and three years or more.
Sextortion – threatening to publish intimate material in order to obtain money or favours – carries a heavier sentence of between 10 and 25 years. The creation, possession or circulation of indecent images of children is punishable by between five and 10 years in prison.
The CSA advises people not to accept requests from strangers, to be cautious of online relationships that develop quickly and to avoid sending or storing nude images or videos. It also recommends keeping social media accounts private and treating unsolicited messages or offers with suspicion.
Anyone targeted should stop communicating with the perpetrators, avoid paying a ransom and preserve evidence such as screenshots, usernames, URLs, messages and payment requests.
Incidents can be reported to the CSA’s 24-hour helpline by calling or texting 292, contacting WhatsApp on 0501603111, or by email. The authority also advises victims to seek support from trusted relatives or professional counsellors.
