Is AnonIB Still Active? What Happened to the Original Site and Its Copycats

People searching for AnonIB today often want a simple answer: does the website still exist?

The honest answer has two parts. The original AnonIB forum is no longer active. Dutch authorities seized its server in April 2018 during an investigation involving hacked accounts and intimate images distributed without consent. However, the name has continued appearing on copycat websites, attempted revivals, discussion boards, and pages claiming to contain old archives.

Those newer pages should not automatically be treated as the original forum. A website can copy a name, logo, layout, or color scheme without having any connection to the people who previously operated it.

More importantly, supposed AnonIB mirror sites may expose visitors to non-consensual content, phishing attempts, malware, tracking, scams, and potentially illegal material. This article explains what happened to the original site, why the name keeps returning, and how to respond safely if your images or personal information appear on a similar forum.

The Short Answer: Does AnonIB Still Exist?

The original version of AnonIB does not operate as it did before 2018.

Question	Answer
Is the original AnonIB still active?	No. Its server was seized by Dutch authorities in April 2018.
Are there websites using the AnonIB name?	Yes, but they may be copycats, impersonators, attempted revivals, or unrelated sites.
Is there a verified official replacement?	No publicly verified continuation should be assumed to be official.
Are alleged mirrors safe?	Their ownership, content, and security cannot be trusted automatically.
Should users download archived material?	No. It may be stolen, non-consensual, malicious, or illegal to possess.
Can victims request removal?	Yes. Several platform, search-engine, legal, and image-hashing options are available.

The safest way to understand the current situation is to separate the original AnonIB shutdown from later websites that reused its reputation.

What Happened to the Original AnonIB?

AnonIB was an anonymous imageboard where users created location- and topic-based threads. It became notorious because many threads were used to request, trade, and publish intimate images of identifiable people without their consent.

Some posts included names, schools, cities, social-media profiles, or other personal details. That combination of private imagery and identifying information placed victims at risk of doxxing, stalking, harassment, sextortion, and reputational harm.

According to contemporary reporting, Dutch authorities seized the forum after a year-long investigation. The seizure notice stated that cybercrime teams had taken control of the forum during an investigation into criminal offences. Several men were also arrested in connection with the wider case. ABC News documented the 2018 seizure and its international impact.

The shutdown removed the original forum from public operation, but it could not erase every file users had already downloaded. Copies could be renamed, cropped, moved into private groups, or reposted on different websites.

That is one reason searches for AnonIB did not disappear when the original server went offline.

A Brief AnonIB Timeline

Before 2018: The Forum Gained Notoriety

AnonIB became widely associated with non-consensual intimate imagery, account hacking, invasive requests, and location-based threads. Users did not always need to know a victim personally. A city, school, username, or photograph could provide enough information for others to identify someone.

April 2018: Authorities Seized the Server

Dutch cybercrime authorities seized the server connected to the forum. The takedown followed an investigation into unauthorized account access and the distribution of private images.

This is the clearest point in the site’s history: the original forum was taken offline through a law-enforcement action, not merely renamed or moved to a new public address.

2020: An Attempted Revival Appeared

In February 2020, VICE reported that another website had adopted the AnonIB name and appearance. The publication did not share the address because doing so could direct more attention toward exploitative content.

The report noted that the newer operation was unlikely to be managed by the same people who ran the original forum. It also questioned claims that the site possessed genuine archives, as some material appeared to have come from elsewhere. VICE’s investigation describes the attempted revival.

Afterward: The Name Continued Circulating

Since then, the name has appeared in searches, online discussions, domain registrations, alleged archives, and copycat pages. The continued use of the label does not prove that the original AnonIB returned.

Why Do AnonIB Copycats Keep Appearing?

AnonIB developed a recognizable and highly searched name. That visibility gives copycat operators several reasons to reuse it.

Search Traffic

A domain containing a notorious name may attract people who are curious about the original site. Operators can exploit that traffic with advertising, paid memberships, redirects, or fake download buttons.

False Archive Claims

A site may claim to contain an “original archive” even when its files came from unrelated sources. Visitors usually have no reliable way to verify where the material originated or whether the operator has changed it.

An archive label also says nothing about consent. Old content can still violate someone’s privacy, and redistributing it can cause fresh harm.

Subscription and Payment Scams

Some pages promise access after payment or registration. They may be designed to collect card details, email addresses, passwords, or cryptocurrency without providing what they advertise.

Paying also creates a record connecting the visitor to the service and may expose financial information to an unknown operator.

Malware Distribution

Notorious names are useful bait for malicious downloads. A page may ask visitors to install a “viewer,” open a compressed archive, allow browser notifications, disable security settings, or download an extension.

Any of these actions can expose a device to spyware, credential theft, ransomware, or unwanted advertising software.

Impersonation

Copying the original site’s visual design helps an unrelated page appear established. A familiar layout is not proof of shared ownership, legitimate archives, or safe moderation.

How to Recognize an Untrustworthy AnonIB-Style Website

There is no dependable sign that can make such a page safe, but several warnings should make a visitor leave immediately:

• Claims that the site is an “official” return without verifiable evidence
• Requests for payment before showing basic information
• Login pages asking for an email or social-media password
• Files described as exclusive archives or database dumps
• Pop-ups asking to enable notifications
• Forced browser-extension or media-player installations
• Multiple redirects to unrelated domains
• Cryptocurrency-only payments
• Missing privacy, abuse, or contact information
• Threads exposing names, schools, Doxxing, or addresses
• Requests for private photographs of specific people
• Content involving anyone who may be under 18

Do not test a suspicious download merely to see what it contains. If a file may involve intimate content shared without permission—or someone under 18—downloading it can create further ethical, security, and legal problems.

Are Current AnonIB Sites Official?

There is no reason to assume that a current website using the AnonIB name is an official continuation.

The original server was seized, and later reporting described at least one revival as likely being run by different people. A present-day operator may copy the branding while having no relationship with the original administrators.

Words such as mirror, backup, archive, replacement, new domain, official return, or version 2 are simply claims unless independently verified. Even if a page contains files that once appeared on the original forum, that does not establish ownership or legitimacy.

The safer rule is straightforward: treat every supposed AnonIB replacement as an unknown website with unknown operators.

Why Visiting an AnonIB Copycat Can Be Risky

The risks go beyond seeing disturbing material.

Your Device Could Be Tracked or Infected

A malicious page may collect IP addresses, browser details, device information, referral data, or approximate location. Downloads can contain harmful software, while notification permissions can be abused to send scams long after the visitor leaves.

Your Login Details Could Be Stolen

A fake registration page may encourage visitors to reuse an existing password. If the same password protects an email, social account, or cloud service, attackers can try it elsewhere.

Use a different password for every account and never enter an important password on an unfamiliar imageboard.

You May Encounter Non-Consensual Content

A photograph being accessible online does not mean the person depicted agreed to its publication. Viewing, saving, requesting, or reposting such material contributes to the violation.

Posts May Contain Doxxing

Names, schools, employers, phone numbers, usernames, and addresses can make a victim easier to harass offline. Do not repeat or redistribute those details.

The Material Could Involve a Minor

If a person may have been under 18 when an explicit image was created, do not save, screenshot, download, or forward it. Report the page through an appropriate child-safety or law-enforcement channel.

Is It Illegal to Visit or Use an AnonIB Copycat?

Laws differ by country, and simply opening a webpage is not treated identically to downloading, possessing, requesting, or distributing its contents.

The legal risks may depend on:

• The age of the person depicted
• Whether the imagery was shared with consent
• How the material was obtained
• Whether an account or device was hacked
• Whether the visitor downloaded or redistributed files
• Whether personal information was exposed
• Whether threats, blackmail, or harassment occurred
• The laws of the victim’s, uploader’s, host’s, and visitor’s locations

Public availability is not the same as legal permission. Anyone facing a specific allegation should consult a qualified lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.

What to Do If Your Images Appear on a Copycat Forum

Finding your photograph or personal information on such a site can be frightening. Work through the problem in manageable steps.

Preserve Limited Evidence

Record the page address, date, visible username, thread title, and relevant threats. Capture only the context necessary for a report.

Do not unnecessarily copy or forward the intimate file. If the imagery involves a person who was under 18, do not take or share screenshots containing the explicit material.

Report the Source Page

Look for an abuse, privacy, safety, legal, or non-consensual-content reporting process. State clearly that you are the depicted person or their authorized representative, that the material was published without consent, and that you want it removed.

Keep a copy of the request and any response.

Request Removal From Google

Google permits people to request removal of real or fabricated sexual content involving them. This can include non-consensual intimate imagery, sexual deepfakes, fake nude photographs, and pages that wrongly associate a person’s name with sexual material.

Google can remove the result from its search service, but it cannot delete the source webpage. The host must be contacted separately. Google’s official removal page explains the available options.

Use the TAKE IT DOWN Act Process Where Applicable

In the United States, covered platforms must provide a way to report non-consensual intimate imagery. Since May 19, 2026, they have been required to remove validly reported images and known identical copies within 48 hours.

If a covered platform ignores a valid request, a complaint can be submitted to the FTC. The FTC explains its current enforcement process.

This process does not replace emergency services, local police, or legal advice when threats, stalking, hacking, or extortion are involved.

Use StopNCII for Adult Images

Adults who already possess the affected image or video can consider StopNCII.org. The service creates a digital fingerprint, called a hash, on the user’s device. The original file stays on that device, while participating platforms receive the hash and can look for matching uploads.

The service works only with participating platforms and cannot remove an image from the entire internet. StopNCII explains the hashing process and its limits.

Use Take It Down for Images Created Before Age 18

If the person was under 18 when the image was created, Take It Down can create a hash without uploading the original file. The service can still be used if the depicted person is now an adult.

Do not download an image you do not already possess just to submit it. The official service specifically warns against downloading or asking someone to forward such material. NCMEC’s Take It Down FAQ provides detailed guidance.

Secure Your Accounts

If you suspect the image came from a compromised account:

• Change your primary email password first
• Use a unique password for every service
• Enable two-factor authentication or passkeys
• Review active login sessions
• Sign out devices you do not recognize
• Check account-recovery email addresses and phone numbers
• Remove unknown connected applications
• Review cloud albums and shared folders
• Update your phone, computer, browser, and applications

Do this from a trusted device. Do not follow a password-reset link sent by the person threatening you.

Does Deleting One AnonIB Copy Remove Everything?

Unfortunately, one successful takedown may not remove every copy.

Files can be saved under new names, cropped, edited, compressed, or uploaded to different platforms. Search engines may also continue showing an outdated result until their indexes refresh.

A practical removal effort may therefore include:

1. Reporting the original webpage
2. Reporting reposts on other platforms
3. Requesting search-result removal
4. Using a hashing service
5. Securing compromised accounts
6. Recording repeat uploads
7. Consulting a victim advocate or lawyer when necessary

This process can take time. Continued reposting does not mean the victim has failed or that removal work is pointless. Each deleted page reduces visibility and limits further circulation.

Can Anonymous Uploaders Be Identified?

“Anonymous” usually means that a real name is not displayed publicly. It does not guarantee that no evidence exists.

Depending on the service and investigation, potentially useful records can include server logs, IP information, account activity, device evidence, payment records, email messages, uploaded-file metadata, and communications between users.

Whether those records exist or can legally be obtained depends on the platform, host, country, and circumstances. Victims should avoid trying to hack or publicly expose a suspected uploader themselves. Preserve relevant information and work through legitimate reporting or legal channels.

Why the AnonIB Name Still Matters

The original AnonIB is gone, but the behavior that made it notorious did not disappear with one server seizure. Copycat forums, private groups, hacked cloud accounts, sexual deepfakes, and anonymous reposting continue to create similar risks.

That is why the most accurate response to “Is AnonIB still active?” is:

The original AnonIB was shut down in 2018. Pages currently using its name should be treated as unverified copycats or unrelated operations—not trusted continuations.

Do not provide those pages with passwords, payment information, downloads, or personal data. Do not request or redistribute private images. If you are searching because your own content has been exposed, focus on preserving essential evidence, reporting the source, removing search results, securing your accounts, and contacting appropriate support.

The responsibility belongs to the person who stole, threatened to publish, or distributed the material—not the person whose privacy was violated.