Problem guide · Last reviewed 12 October 2026
Photos of you online
If a photo of you is online without your OK, you can ask the site to take it down, use a copyright request if you took the photo, or use the platform’s own reporting tools. Intimate images have their own free routes, and eSafety can act quickly in Australia.
The short version
Ask the site to take the photo down, then ask Google to drop it. The site and Google. For intimate images, eSafety can act. The free check gives you the plan for your situation and your country, with a letter you can edit.
Start this plan About two minutes · Free · Nothing you type is sent to us
Who decides
The site or platform decides the photo. Google decides what shows in image search.
Time
About 20 minutes. Allow 1 to 4 weeks for replies.
Ask the site first. Google usually only removes an image from search once the page has changed, unless it breaks one of Google’s own policies.
The plan, in outline
Save your evidence
- The link to the page and to the image
- A screenshot with today’s date
- The original photo, if you took it
Ask the site owner to remove it
Wait, then follow up
If there’s no reply after 14 days, send a short follow-up.
Once it’s gone, ask Google to refresh it
Google’s refresh tool works for images too.
Google’s Refresh Outdated Content tool (opens in a new tab)Google: remove contact details and personal info (opens in a new tab)
If the answer is no
- If the image is intimate, or it’s being used to harass you, eSafety can act directly. eSafety: image-based abuse (opens in a new tab)
- If the image shows personal details, like your address or ID, Google may remove it from search under its personal information policy. Google: remove contact details and personal info (opens in a new tab)
Official links last checked 12 October 2026.