**AI “Nudify” Apps Proliferate on Apple and Google App Stores, Raising Alarms Over Non-Consensual Imagery**
A recent investigation has brought to light the alarming presence of numerous “nudify” applications on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play. These applications, which leverage artificial intelligence to generate explicit images of individuals from ordinary photographs, have collectively amassed hundreds of millions of downloads and generated substantial revenue, according to industry watchdog Tech Transparency Project (TTP).
The TTP’s January review identified 55 such apps on Google Play and 47 on Apple’s platform. These apps employ AI to either remove clothing from existing images or superimpose users’ faces onto nude bodies, effectively creating non-consensual deepfakes. TTP director Katie Paul emphasized that these applications are clearly designed for the “non-consensual sexualization of people,” rather than harmless entertainment.
Following TTP’s and other media outlets’ inquiries, Apple has begun removing some of the identified apps. A spokesperson stated that 28 apps were removed, with developers of others warned of potential removal if guideline violations are not rectified. Notably, two apps were reinstated after developers addressed the concerns. Google acknowledged suspending several apps for policy violations and indicated its investigation into the matter is ongoing, declining to provide specific numbers of removals.
This issue has gained broader attention following recent controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot, Grok, which was found to generate sexualized images of women and children. The European Commission has since launched an investigation into X, the platform hosting Grok, over its dissemination of explicit content. xAI’s response to media inquiries has been a terse, automated message stating, “Legacy Media Lies.”
The proliferation of these “nudify” apps is facilitated by advancements in AI, making the creation of deepfake nudes and explicit content more accessible than ever. TTP’s report highlights that 14 of the reviewed apps are based in China. This geographic origin raises additional security and privacy concerns, given China’s data retention laws, which could grant the government access to data generated by these applications.
Industry bodies and lawmakers have expressed deep concern. The National Association of Attorneys General previously urged payment platforms like Apple Pay and Google Pay to stop facilitating services that generate non-consensual intimate images. Furthermore, a group of U.S. senators has called on Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores, arguing that the mass generation of non-consensual sexualized images violates their distribution terms.
Both Apple and Google have policies against such content. The Google Play Developer Policy Center prohibits apps that “claim to undress people or see through clothing,” even if presented as pranks. Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines ban material that is “overtly sexual or pornographic.” Despite these policies, the sheer volume of downloads and revenue generated by these apps suggest a significant gap in enforcement.
The TTP report, citing app analytics firm AppMagic, estimates that the identified apps have generated $117 million in revenue globally, with both Apple and Google taking a commission on these earnings. This has led to questions about the platforms’ commitment to user safety and the effectiveness of their policy enforcement mechanisms. As Paul noted, the continued presence of these apps despite their own stated policies, “raises a lot of questions about how they can present themselves as trusted app platforms.”
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