JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway offered guidance on how parents can respond if someone shares an explicit image of their child online. Chapter 573 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri criminalizes sharing, threatening to share, or possessing explicit depictions of minors, including computer-generated images. If parents find an explicit image online, they should take immediate steps to protect their child and report the conduct.
“Child exploitation in any form is unacceptable. As a mother, I can’t imagine anything more horrifying than kids being victimized,” said General Hanaway. “We supported the Take It Down Act because parents need real tools to remove harmful content and protect their children. If someone shares an explicit image of your child online, report it to law enforcement immediately. Acting quickly can prevent further harm.”
Parents should contact their local police department or sheriff’s office as soon as possible and provide them with all available information. Parents can also report incidents to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through its CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org or by calling 1‑800‑843‑5678. In addition, parents may contact the FBI directly by calling 1‑800‑CALL‑FBI or by reaching out to the nearest FBI Field Office.
FBI St. Louis Field Office
2222 Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
314‑589‑2500
FBI Kansas City Field Office
11180 NW Prairie View Road
Kansas City, MO 64153
816‑512‑8200
How to request removal and limit further spread:
- Tell the platform to take down the image. The Take It Down Act requires covered platforms to provide a clear way for parents to request removal.
- If the platform does not remove the image within 48 hours, report the platform to the Federal Trade Commission at TakeItDown.ftc.gov.
- Use NCMEC’s Take It Down service to help prevent the image from being shared elsewhere online.
More information and additional resources are available at TakeItDown.ftc.gov.