Google Explicit Fake Content Update (31 July 2024): What Changed and What to Do

The Google explicit fake content update was a ranking change announced on 31 July 2024 that demotes non-consensual explicit deepfake imagery in Search and the sites that host it or offer tools to make it. Google did not announce an end date, and it is not a general quality update. For most websites the takeaway is simple: it does not affect you, but if you host user uploads, your moderation and how you handle removal requests now matter for how your whole site ranks.

I have kept this page factual because the subject is serious. It is written for two groups: site owners who want to know whether this change could explain a drop, and people who have found fake explicit images of themselves in Search and want to know what Google changed. If you are tracking other changes, see my full list of Google algorithm updates.

Detail	Information
Update name	Explicit fake content ranking update (July 2024)
Type	Targeted ranking change and removal process change (not a core or spam update)
Rollout started	31 July 2024 (announcement date)
Rollout finished	Not announced
Rollout length	Not announced
Confirmed by Google	Yes, announced by Google, but not listed as a numbered update on the Search Status Dashboard
Official source	Tech Times report of Google’s announcement

What the explicit fake content update changed

Google made three connected changes, all aimed at non-consensual explicit imagery that has been artificially generated or altered to show a real person, often called explicit deepfakes.

• Searches about a person: when someone searches for a person, Google aims to surface non-explicit content, such as relevant news coverage, instead of fake explicit images.
• Site-level demotion: sites that receive a high volume of removal requests for fake explicit imagery are ranked lower. Sites hosting such content, or tools to create it, that are reported or found by Google are also demoted.
• Easier removals for victims: Google streamlined its removal request process for people affected by this kind of content.

Emma Higman of Google said the aim was “offering victims peace of mind”. The important detail for site owners is the second point: the trigger is not only a single bad page. The volume of valid removal requests against a domain can pull the whole site down.

Timeline

The public record for this change is short, and I will not pad it.

• 31 July 2024: Google announced the ranking changes and the streamlined removal process.
• After the announcement: no completion date, rollout window or follow-up dashboard entry was published. The change does not appear as a numbered update on the Google Search Status Dashboard.

Who was affected

The people Google set out to help are those whose likeness has been used in fake explicit images without their consent. On the website side, the change affects:

• sites that host non-consensual explicit deepfakes;
• sites that offer tools for making them;
• sites with many removal requests for this kind of imagery, which can include user-generated content platforms that do not moderate uploads well.

No broad SEO impact was reported. Mainstream business sites, blogs, shops and publishers did not see measurable movement from this change, as far as public reporting shows. If your traffic fell in early August 2024 and you run an ordinary site, look elsewhere first: the August 2024 core update started on 15 August 2024 and is a far more likely explanation.

How to tell if the explicit fake content update hit your site

For almost every site the honest answer is that it did not. If you run a platform where users can upload images or video, check the following:

1. Look at the dates. In Search Console, compare clicks and impressions for the two weeks before 31 July 2024 with the weeks after. A site-level demotion tends to show as a broad drop across many pages, not one or two URLs.
2. Check for removals. Review whether you have received legal or removal notices relating to explicit imagery, and whether URLs from your domain have been removed from Google Search. A pattern of removals against your domain is the signal this change uses.
3. Audit uploads. Search your own content library for altered explicit imagery of real people. Treat this as a safety and legal review first, and an SEO task second.
4. Rule out other causes. Check tracking, seasonality, and the August 2024 core update window before concluding anything.

How to recover from the explicit fake content update

There is no “recovery” for a site whose purpose is hosting or producing this material, and I do not work on such sites. For legitimate platforms that were caught out by poor moderation, and for affected individuals, here is what helps.

If you run a site with user uploads

1. Remove violating content promptly. Take down non-consensual explicit imagery and any deepfake generation features. Do not simply hide it behind a login while keeping it on the server.
2. Put moderation in place. Set clear upload rules, a visible reporting route for affected people, and a fast takedown process. Because the volume of valid removal requests can trigger a demotion, reducing the reasons people need to file them is the real fix.
3. Respond to reports quickly. Keep a log of reports and actions taken. This is also good practice for legal compliance in many countries.
4. Clean up the index. Once content is gone, make sure removed URLs return a 404 or 410 status so Google drops them. My technical SEO services cover status codes, crawl rules and index clean-ups like this.
5. Be patient. Google has not published how long a demotion lasts after a site improves. Expect it to take time, and do not expect a quick bounce.

If you are affected by fake explicit images

• Google offers a removal request process for non-consensual explicit imagery, including fake or altered images. It is in Google Search Help; search for “remove non-consensual explicit imagery Google”.
• Save the URLs and take screenshots before you report, so you have a record.
• Report the content to the hosting site as well. Removing it from Google Search does not delete it from the site itself.
• Consider contacting local police or a specialist support organisation. In many countries creating or sharing this material is a criminal offence.

Situation	What to do
Ordinary business site, drop in August 2024	Not this change; review the August 2024 core update instead
UGC platform with removal notices	Remove content, add reporting and moderation, return 404/410 for removed URLs
Person finding fake images of themselves	Use Google’s removal request process, report to the host, keep records

Is it still relevant today?

Yes, in a narrow way. The protections are part of how Google Search handles searches for people, and the demotion based on removal request volume remains a risk for any site that allows uploads without proper moderation. As image generation tools become easier to use, more platforms carry this risk without realising it. For everyday SEO it is not something most site owners need to think about, unless they host user content.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Google explicit fake content update?

Google announced it on 31 July 2024. No end date or rollout length was published.

Did the July 2024 deepfake update affect normal websites?

No broad SEO impact was reported. It targets sites hosting non-consensual explicit deepfakes, tools that make them, and sites with many removal requests for such imagery.

Can a whole site be demoted for this?

Yes. Google said sites with a high volume of removal requests for fake explicit imagery are ranked lower, which is a site-level effect rather than a page-level one.

How do I get fake explicit images of me removed from Google?

Use Google’s removal request process for non-consensual explicit imagery in Google Search Help, and also report the content to the website hosting it.

Sources

• Tech Times
• Search Engine Journal: Google algorithm history

If your traffic dropped around this time and you are not sure why, I can look at your data with you. Request a free audit, or read how my SEO audit services separate update effects from tracking, seasonal and technical causes.