Who has to comply with the TAKE IT DOWN Act?

Any “covered platform” — a website, app or online service that primarily provides a forum for user-generated content, or that in the regular course of business publishes intimate visual depictions. The FTC names social media, messaging, image and video sharing, and gaming services. Being small is not a defence.

What makes a removal request valid?

A written request from the depicted person or an authorised representative, carrying a physical or electronic signature, information sufficient to locate the depiction, a good-faith statement that it was published without consent, and contact details. The TrustDesk form collects exactly those four things.

What happens if we miss the 48 hours?

The FTC treats a failure to remove a valid report within 48 hours as an unfair or deceptive act or practice. Civil penalties reach $53,088 per violation, and anyone can report a non-compliant platform directly to the FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov.

Is the policy generator really free?

Yes. Give us your platform name, URL and a contact address and you get the policy text plus a footer snippet to paste, with no account and no card. Host it wherever you like — the text is yours to keep. We hold the email so we can tell you if the rules change.

What is the difference between the kit and the hosted desk?

The $19 kit is bought once: your own hosted report form, the policy text and the footer snippet, and an operator email whenever somebody reports something. The $5-a-month desk adds the parts that have to keep running — a 48-hour deadline on every report, an hourly sweep that escalates anything close to the line, and an append-only evidence log.

How long does setup take?

Minutes. Checkout gives you a report link for your platform, the policy text and the footer snippet. Paste the link into your footer and you are receiving reports — there is nothing to install and no SDK.

TrustDesk · document

Compare TrustDesk

Four ways a covered platform meets its duties under the 48-hour removal law, against the four things the statute actually requires: a public intake form, the 48-hour removal clock, identical-copy removal, and an evidence log.

Last verified September 4, 2026

The statute's notice requirement: A covered platform must provide a clear and conspicuous notice of the notice-and-removal process, including how an individual can submit a request; Public Law 119-12, §3(a)(2)

Which option covers which duty

Option	Public intake	48-hour clock	Identical copies	Evidence log	Published price
TrustDesk	Yes	Yes	Manual, per request	Yes	$19 once, or $5/month hosted
StopNCII.org hash-matching	No	No	Yes, for hashed content on your own service	No	None published (free)
Trust and safety suite (Cinder)	Not described	Not described	Yes, via StopNCII.org once you are a partner	Not described for this duty	Contact sales
Law-firm client alert	No	No	No	No	Hourly, on request

Figures above were read live on 4 September 2026. TrustDesk vs Cinder goes head to head against the one named trust and safety suite; TrustDesk alternatives is the shorter version of this page for a buyer who has decided against TrustDesk specifically; and the full compliance-software guide goes through every row in depth.

What stays true regardless of the option chosen

The 48-hour removal clock in PL 119-12 §3 applies to the covered platform whichever tool it uses to meet the duty. How the Act is actually enforced and whether a given platform is covered at all cover the scope questions a comparison table does not answer on its own.