What should I do if I see images on Facebook of a child being physically abused or sexually exploited?
Images and videos of children being physically abused or sexually exploited are against Facebook policies.
If you see images on Facebook of a child being physically abused or sexually exploited, we ask that you:
1.
Please contact your local law enforcement immediately
. They may be able to identify and rescue the child.
2.
Report the photo or video
to Facebook. You'll be able to check the status of your report
from the Support Inbox. If you don't have a Facebook account or are blocked from seeing the content you want to report, you can ask a friend
to help you.
3.
Notify the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children using the CyberTipline:
Visit https://report.cybertip.org
or call 1-800-843-5678.
4.
Don't share, download, or comment on the content.
It can be criminal to share, or send messages with, photos and videos of children being sexually abused and exploited. You won't be asked to provide a copy of the content in any report.
More resources
Seeing an image or video of a child who has been abused can be distressing. We understand that people may be affected in different ways when they view these types of images, and we want to be sure that there are resources available for further support. Facebook has worked with a number of safety experts around the world to identify these resources, including social services and tips for reaching out to professionals.
If you, or a child you know, have been the victim of child physical or sexual abuse, or if you've witnessed child physical or sexual abuse and are interested in resources or support services, we encourage you to consider the resources provided by these organizations:
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
assists in cases of missing or exploited children throughout the world.
The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC)
provides a list of international operational centers
that work to assist in cases of missing or exploited children.
Child Helpline International
is a global network of hotlines providing support and social services.
ECPAT
is a global network of civil society organizations dedicated to fighting against the sexual exploitation of children.
UNICEF
defends the rights of children across 190 countries.
We also offer resources
if you need to report a missing person or runaway.
