Whatever you do, do not use Telegram for sexting
In order to access your messages on the app, you and your partner need to enter a passcode at the same time. The app will also notify you if your partner takes a screenshot, and lock them out of the app for ten minutes (but it does not yet protect against screen recording). You can also delete your account and all of your files at any time, wiping them off not only your device, but also your partner’s. Disckreet costs $2.99, and is only available on iOS.
One note: Privates! and Disckreet have not received the same careful and public auditing from security researchers like Signal and WhatsApp have.
Telegram is not a good tool for sensitive communications because the app doesn’t encrypt messages end-to-end by default, and the quality of the encryption itself is suspect.
“If there was one app I had to say not to use, it would be Telegram. Avoid Telegram at ALL costs,” Irwin told me.
That way, if your laptop is stolen or otherwise no longer in your possession, no one will be able to access them. Setting up a folder on both a Mac and Windows desktop is fairly straightforward. Be mindful of where you backup this folder if you use a cloud backup service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud.
There are numerous options available in both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. A word of warning: Make sure whatever app you choose for this task encrypts the files and does not upload them to third-party cloud services. Look for one that uses 256 AES encryption, and that has TouchID support if you’re on iOS. After you have saved them, make sure to delete them from your camera roll.
If you discover that an abuser is spreading explicit images of you online, there are several steps you can immediately take to mitigate the damage. If you want to talk to someone directly about your options, the nonprofit Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI) has a 24-hour hotline that revenge porn victims can call in the US.
If the images are being spread on a social media platform, you can contact the company directly. Every major platform including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Twitter have guidelines for how to report images that violate their terms of service, including revenge porn. CCRI has a comprehensive set of instructions you can use to report images.
If you have consent from your partner to save the sexts they’ve sent to you, they should be locked inside an encrypted, password-protected folder on your computer
In April Facebook instituted a new anti-revenge porn feature aimed at stopping the spread of non-consensual images. If you report an image as revenge porn, the social network’s moderators will tag it using photo-matching technology. Then, if someone tries to spread it further, Facebook will stop them. Facebook says it disables the account of whoever shared the image in the first place, «in most cases.»
On a smartphone, you’ll need a separate app to encrypt your sexts and lock them behind a password
It can be exhausting to try and track down every place where your photos were posted. If you are overwhelmed, you can hire a takedown service to help remove images for you. CCRI recommends DMCA Defender and Copybyte. The services can be expensive, however.
Before you report anything, make sure you take screenshots. They can be used as evidence to show social media companies or law enforcement later. Don’t only screenshot the messages themselves. If they’re associated with your name in a search result, screenshot it as well. Document friend requests, comments, and messages you’ve received.