On the first of August last year, the nonprofit organization Point de Contact disclosed to WIRED that only a pair of images remained on four separate Microsoft servers, following significant communication with the tech giant that spanned nearly ten months. In an email statement, Point de Contact expressed their regret regarding the protracted resolution process involving the victim, Microsoft, and their organization.
Gregoire, the chief of digital safety at Microsoft, noted that the circumstances surrounding Liu’s case have prompted her team to enhance their reporting protocols and strengthen collaboration with victim assistance groups. According to Gregoire, Point de Contact initially reported URLs over which Microsoft did not have jurisdiction, although she refrained from providing further details. Meanwhile, Dirani, a representative of Point de Contact, stated that this reasoning was never communicated to him and questioned why those links were deemed non-actionable.
Following a confrontation with Thomas concerning Liu’s situation, Microsoft reportedly secured the URLs they could address. Gregoire acknowledged the serendipitous interactions at TrustCon that facilitated this acquisition, but emphasized that Point de Contact now has established direct communication channels with Microsoft to prevent similar delays in the future.
Challenges persist for other victim assistance organizations as well; many report struggling to maintain effective relationships with major tech companies. A prior investigation by WIRED revealed that Google executives dismissed various proposals from staff and advocates aimed at curbing access to explicit and harmful images in search results. Some survivors have found that copyright claims provide the fastest route to remove unwanted content, an approach deemed insufficient by many in the online safety sector.
Emma Pickering, head of technology-facilitated abuse at Refuge, the UK’s largest domestic abuse charity, pointed to the inconsistencies in practices among tech firms as a source of delays in content removal. According to Pickering, the responses from these companies vary widely and are often inadequate. Microsoft, she noted, has posed additional challenges; she was recently informed that engagement with the company now requires demonstrating evidence of platform usage and promotional efforts.
In response, Gregoire has indicated her willingness to address these concerns and engage in further discussions. Microsoft’s strategy aims to minimize the need for takedowns by deterring potential offenders. Notably, in December, Microsoft filed a lawsuit against ten unidentified individuals accused of exploiting vulnerabilities within Azure to generate harmful imagery, including sexually exploitative content.
For Liu, the situation remains dire, as explicit videos and images of her still circulate on at least one self-identified “free porn” website. She has invested her savings in developing Alecto AI, driven by a lack of investor interest. Some potential backers allegedly discouraged her from leveraging her traumatic experiences in her business pitch. Liu recounted a discouraging experience where a couple laughed at her proposal to create AI tools to combat online image misuse, even after she shared her personal struggles following victimization.
In a twist of hope, nearly four and a half years into her ordeal, December 2024 brought Liu closer to a legislative victory. A bill she championed in Congress seeking to mandate the removal of non-consensual explicit images within 48 hours almost reached President Biden’s desk, though it was ultimately shelved. That said, Liu and a bipartisan coalition of over 20 lawmakers persisted, successfully reintroducing the proposal in January 2025, which could impose fines of up to $50,000 for noncompliance.
Despite concerns voiced by rights organizations regarding potential over-censorship, the bill recently advanced through the Senate, gaining support from Microsoft, signifying a burgeoning acknowledgment of the need for change in how online platforms manage explicit content. As these efforts unfold, the complexities of accountability in the digital sphere remain critical, underscoring the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures and responsive actions in protecting victims from online abuse.
