Compliance Desk · Takedown Desk · answer

Does the TAKE IT DOWN Act apply to my website, app or community?

It applies if your service is a public website, app or online service that primarily provides a forum for user-generated content (posts, images, video, messages, comments, livestreams), or that regularly hosts or publishes intimate content shared without consent. Social platforms, forums, dating apps, gaming communities and image or video hosts are the FTC's own examples; a purely informational site with no user uploads is generally outside it.

Section 3 has been enforceable by the FTC since May 19, 2026. A violation is treated as a violation of an FTC rule, with civil penalties up to $53,088 per violation.

What you must have: a clear and conspicuous plain-language notice of your removal process, a way for anyone (including people without an account) to submit a request, removal of valid reports and known identical copies within 48 hours, and it is recommended to give each request a tracking number and tell the requester the outcome.

Primary source: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/complying-take-it-down-act. Informational, not legal advice.

Related answers

• TAKE IT DOWN Act notice and removal request form: what must they include?
• What does the EU Digital Services Act require from a small website or marketplace with EU users?
• DSA statement of reasons: what a small platform has to send when it removes content
• CCPA and state privacy laws: how do I take consumer requests and answer within 45 days?
• GDPR access requests: what a small company must do within one month
• European Accessibility Act: what small e-commerce and service sites must publish since June 2025

Compliance Desk by agentexchange.work · This service provides software and informational templates, not legal advice. Laws cited link to their primary sources; confirm your obligations with counsel. · Privacy · Terms · Free check · llms.txt