Facebook today introduced new tools designed to help victims of so-called revenge porn.
Going forward, if you happen to come across an intimate image on Facebook that you believe was shared without permission, it will be easier to report it. To do so, just tap on the downward arrow or "…" next to a post and click "Report."
Once you report it, "specially trained representatives" from Facebook's Community Operations team will review the image and, if it's found to be in violation of the social network's Community Standards, will take it down.
"In most cases, we will also disable the account for sharing intimate images without permission," Facebook's Head of Global Safety Antigone Davis wrote in a blog post. "We offer an appeals process if someone believes an image was taken down in error."
The company also plans to use "photo-matching technologies" to prevent any subsequent attempts to share the same image on not only Facebook but also Messenger and Instagram. If someone tries to share the image after it's been reported or removed, Facebook won't allow it and the person will get a notification stating that the image violates the social network's policies.
Finally, Facebook is partnering with safety organizations to offer revenge porn victims resources and support.
"These tools, developed in partnership with safety experts, are one example of the potential technology has to help keep people safe," Davis wrote. "We look forward to building on these tools and working with other companies to explore how they could be used across the industry."
According to a recent study from the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, 93 percent of US revenge porn victims suffer "significant emotional distress" as a result of the abuse, while 82 percent report "significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas" of their life.