San Francisco Demands Apple and Google Remove Nudifying Apps
The article reports that San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has issued cease-and-desist letters to Apple and Google, demanding they remove AI-powered “nudify” apps from their app stores or face potential legal action. The city argues that these applications enable the creation of non-consensual intimate deepfake images, primarily targeting women and girls, and that the tech companies are facilitating and profiting from their distribution.
The legal notices target 13 apps in total, including eight on Apple’s App Store and five on Google Play. Although many of the apps present themselves as harmless face-swapping or photo-editing tools, authorities say they allow users to generate realistic fake nude images of identifiable individuals without their consent. Chiu argues that hosting these apps and processing their in-app payments may violate California law prohibiting businesses from supporting services that create non-consensual deepfake pornography.
The enforcement action follows investigations by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), which found 47 iOS apps and 55 Android apps capable of generating nudified images. According to the report, these apps had been downloaded more than 705 million times and generated approximately $117 million in revenue. Researchers also found that some apps were rated as suitable for children and that Apple’s own search and advertising systems sometimes promoted them to users.
San Francisco argues that Apple and Google have known about the problem for months but have responded only after specific reports rather than proactively preventing the apps from appearing in their stores. Chiu is demanding that both companies sever ties with the developers, improve their app review processes, and regularly monitor their marketplaces for similar applications. If they fail to respond within 28 days, the city may seek civil penalties of at least $25,000 per violation.
Both companies say they are taking action. Google stated that it has suspended hundreds of apps with nudification features, strengthened its review process for generative AI applications, and restricted searches for terms such as “nudify.” Apple said it had removed several of the identified apps, was terminating some developer accounts, and had contacted additional developers to address policy violations or face removal.
The article concludes that the case represents one of the strongest attempts yet to hold app store operators accountable for AI-enabled image-based sexual abuse. Rather than focusing solely on the developers of nudify tools, San Francisco is seeking to establish that platform operators also bear responsibility when they distribute and monetize applications that facilitate the creation of non-consensual intimate deepfakes.
