Terminology

The leading organization combating these crimes, the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI), define:

Nonconsensual Distribution of Intimate Images (NDII): refers to the distribution of private, sexually explicit images of individuals without their consent.  This includes both images originally obtained without consent as well as images that were originally consensually obtained and later distributed without consent.  NDII is sometimes referred to as Nonconsensual Imagery (NCII) or as Nonconsensual Pornography (NCP).

Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA): umbrella term that includes the “non-consensual creation and/or distribution of private, sexual images,” including forms of voyeurism and sextortion, or recordings of sexual assaults or sextortion.  Other frequently used terms include cyber sexual abuse or cyber sexual violence.

Synthetic NDII: visual material that is digitally manipulated using machine learning algorithms to make it appear that a person is nude, partially nude, or engaged in sexual conduct.  The image, however, is not “real”.  Synthetic NDII is often referred to as “deepfakes” and sometimes as “digital forgeries.”

Sextortion or sexual extortion: the threat to distribute an individual’s real or synthetic intimate material without that person’s consent if the person does not comply with certain demands.  The offender typically attempts to coerce someone to pay money, send more nude or sexually explicit images, perform sex acts, stay in an abusive relationship, relinquish custody of children, or some other act that is against that person's wishes.

Child sexual exploitation/abuse material (CSEM or CSAM): a visual depiction of an individual 18 years or younger who is nude, partially nude, or engaged in sexual conduct, even if that individual is now an adult.