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TechSan Francisco demands Apple and Google remove AI nudification apps
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San Francisco has pressured Apple and Google to remove AI-powered 'nudification' apps from their app stores, which allow users to create non-consensual sexual deepfakes by digitally undressing people in photos. Both companies received multiple complaint letters before taking action, but have since confirmed they removed the offending apps. The article notes California's strict stance on sexual deepfakes and generative AI misuse, referencing a prior incident involving Elon Musk's Grok chatbot that enabled similar abuse. It also mentions a lawsuit by five anonymous women and girls against xAI and Stability AI for allegedly using their photos to create child sexual abuse material. The report highlights ongoing regulatory scrutiny of AI-generated harmful content on major platforms.
Source report
Apple and Google both reiterated their stance on policy-violating apps and confirmed they had taken action against the offending apps
Published: July 18, 2026 02:43 pm IST | The Hindu Bureau
![The two companies were sent multiple complaint letters about the presence of such apps in their app marketplaces, but they did not take action against them at the earliest [File]](https://www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online/1x1_spacer.png) The two companies were sent multiple complaint letters about the presence of such apps in their app marketplaces, but they did not take action against them at the earliest [File] | Photo Credit: Reuters
San Francisco has called on Apple and Google to remove AI-powered "nudification" apps from their respective app stores, according to TechCrunch.
Nudification apps allow users to misuse artificial intelligence by digitally undressing people in photos or videos, creating deepfake images. This practice has led to the production of non-consensual sexual deepfakes and nude images, which constitute a criminal offense. These apps are hosted on both regulated and unregulated platforms.
Apple and Google — two of the largest application marketplaces — have come under scrutiny in San Francisco over the presence of multiple such apps.
The two companies were sent several complaint letters regarding these apps but did not take immediate action. However, both Apple and Google later reiterated their policies against violating apps and confirmed they had taken action against the offending ones, per TechCrunch.
California maintains a strict stance on sexual deepfakes and the use of generative AI to create criminal content.
Regulators have been monitoring the spread of nudification apps following an incident earlier this year in which Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok allowed social media users worldwide to create and spread non-consensual sexual deepfakes of others.
Five anonymous young women and girls have sued xAI and Stability AI, alleging that their photos were used to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The individuals expressed distress, with some fearing that AI deepfakes shared online could lead to offline stalking by sexual predators.
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San Francisco demands Apple and Google remove AI nudification apps from app stores