Consent over time
How consent may change after an intimate image is created, and what this means for keeping, accessing or sharing it.
Independent research labLondon, UK
When consent
changes, who
controls the image?
Intimate images are often created by choice and shared in trust. But relationships end, feelings change and people may no longer want an image to be kept.
We bring together research on adults to understand what happens at each stage, when harm can begin and where protection is missing.
Why capture matters
Sometimes harm begins
when something is captured.
An intimate image is not just a digital file. It shows a real person, and what happens to it can affect their privacy, relationships, mental health and sexual wellbeing.
Some intimate images are captured without consent. Others are created willingly and shared in trust, but consent or circumstances may change later. In both cases, the person in the image can lose control before anything is shared publicly.
We want to understand what happens to an intimate image over time, not only after it has been shared without consent. This means looking at how it was created, where it is kept, who can access it, how consent and control may change, and whether the person affected can get help if it is misused.
Our current work focuses on adults and maps existing research. We want to show what is already known, where the evidence is limited and where new research or partnership could make a useful contribution.
Our position
Consent to create or share an intimate image is not permanent permission for whatever happens to it later. Consent can change. Relationships can end. Digital systems should be able to respond to that reality.
Our work asks where responsibility begins before an image is misused—not only how to respond after someone has already been harmed.
Research directions
Evidence-led · Adult-focused · Prevention-oriented
Harm and wellbeing
How loss of control, uncertainty and misuse may affect mental health, trust, relationships, sexual wellbeing and everyday life.
The life of an intimate image
We follow what happens to an intimate image from the moment it is created through storage, access, changing consent, possible misuse, removal and recovery.
Platform reporting, removal and appeal
Research in development on whether adults can find, understand and use platform reporting, removal and appeal routes—and how language, localisation and platform processes affect access to help.
Research projects
Our current
projects.
Our current work has two parts: establishing what existing evidence shows and examining how platform responses work in practice.
Evidence map of adult intimate images
Before starting a new participant study, we are examining the research that already exists: who was studied, how the research was carried out, which findings are consistent and where important gaps remain.
This will give us a sound basis for deciding what should be studied next.
Platform reporting, removal and appeal
Platforms offer reporting, removal and appeal routes, but the existence of a route does not show whether it works.
This project will follow complete case pathways from the first search for help to the final response. It will record what users are asked to provide, how long the process takes, whether a person reviews the case, what explanation is given and what the outcome is.
Team
Three disciplines.
One shared question.
Marija Brkic
Founder & Project Manager
A PRINCE2 Practitioner-qualified project and operations leader. Marija brings more than seven years of delivery, risk, budget and team leadership experience, alongside a decade in technical project administration and record management.
Sonja Milovic
Content & Research Documentation
A communication specialist, content manager and editor experienced in leading content teams, research, SEO-informed publishing and AI-related content workflows. Sonja leads research documentation, qualitative materials and clear public outputs.
Olga Hristic
Search & SEO Research
An SEO specialist working across search intent, technical and on-page SEO, content strategy, localisation and analytics. Olga leads query design, search visibility testing and comparative analysis.
Contact
Research begins
with a better
question.
We are looking to build partnerships with universities, research centres, civil society organisations, practitioners and funders in the UK and internationally.