Yubo's new reporting feature in partnership with NCMEC

If you’ve been swiping on Yubo today, you've probably come across our latest in-app campaign to introduce you to the National Center for Missing, and Exploited Children (NCMEC)’s new Take It Down service and the new reporting option on Yubo. At Yubo, the safety of our users is our top priority, so we are constantly finding new ways to make Yubo as safe as possible. We are fortunate to have the support and expertise of our partners, and this new feature is a perfect example. So if you want to know more about this new service and Yubo’s added reporting feature, welcome!

What is NCMEC? 

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 by the U.S. Congress. NCMEC is funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Justice. It operates as an information and resources center for parents, children, law enforcement agencies, schools, and communities to assist in the recovery of missing children. Its mission is also to educate the public on how to prevent child abduction, child sexual abuse, and child pornography.

How long have NCMEC and Yubo been partners?

NCMEC is a longterm partner of Yubo’s. We have been working together since July 2018. John Shehan, the Senior Vice President of NCMEC, is also a member of our Safety Board and offers his expertise and guidance for our strategies and approaches to safety, as well as the development of new safety features. We are fortunate to be able to rely on his experience to make Yubo even safer for all our users.

What is NCMEC’s new service? 

To continue its fight to protect young people online, NCMEC has launched a new service called Take It Down. This service is free and aims to stop the spread of nude, partially nude, or sexually exploitative content depicting minors. It is inspired in particular by StopNCII.org in the UK, which supports and helps victims of revenge porn.

How can I use the new Yubo feature developed with NCMEC?

To support this initiative and continue to protect with the best possible innovations, Yubo has decided to add a new option to its reporting flow. Any user, whose sexually inappropriate imagery of themselves taken before the age of 18 has been shared anywhere on the internet, can now report it by selecting “Inappropriate photo/video of me” in the reporting reasons list. If a user selects this option,  they will receive a link that will direct them to the Take It Down website, where they can submit an anonymous report.  

How will Yubo know which image to remove? 

Once reported via NCMEC's Take It Down service, all images or videos will be assigned a unique hash value. This hash value works like a digital fingerprint and allows the content to be tracked and identified across other online platforms. All platforms participating in the initiative (including Yubo) will receive this hash value, which will allow them to identify and block any attempt to share the reported content.

Are you going to collect the photos that I am going to share with you? 

No photos or videos will be collected during the process, and the entire system is completely anonymous. Take It Down, and its partner platforms only receive the hash value to effectively block re-upload imagery attempts. 

Your privacy and anonymity are guaranteed at all stages of the Take It Down service. And what’s more, to avoid further spread of the imagery, you do not need to send the video or photo you wish to have removed – it will never need to leave your device, and it will never be seen by another person.

Why did Yubo develop this feature?

At Yubo, safety is at the center of every decision we make, and we are constantly working to make the platform as safe as possible. So it only made sense for us to collaborate with NCMEC and be part of a key step in this mission to eradicate CSAM online. 

With 99% of Yubo users being Gen Z ages 13-25, they may be vulnerable to practices such as revenge porn and nude photo sharing. It is important to us that we block all non-consensual use of sexually exploitative photos and videos on Yubo, and we have many advanced tools and practices in place to detect this type of harmful content. Take It Down will add yet another layer of safety and protection for our users while socializing on Yubo.

Is NCMEC’s Take It Down service available in my country?

Yes! Currently, the service is available globally in English and Spanish, and it is expected to be translated into 10+ more languages in the coming months. While Take It Down is available everywhere, the added reporting option on Yubo is currently only available for US users.

If my photos or videos have been shared without my consent, where can I find support?

Always report any inappropriate content immediately to Yubo, and our 24/7 Safety Specialists will be able to help. They are always on hand to support you in removing inappropriate content and to help make Yubo as safe as possible. However, having your private images exposed can cause significant psychological distress, and we will always advise you to contact a trusted person or a specialist to discuss and support you through this.

Below you will find some NGOs that will be ready to listen and assist you.

• Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse (International)
• NCMEC (US)
• Revenge Porn Helpline (UK)
• Service Public (France)
• Safer Net (Brazil)

And please remember, there are many people here to support you. You are not alone, and you do not have to be ashamed of having been a victim of online crime.