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TechSan Francisco urges Apple and Google to remove AI nudification apps
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San Francisco has called on 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 or videos. The two tech giants were sent multiple complaint letters but initially did not act; they later confirmed they had taken action against the offending apps. The issue comes amid heightened scrutiny of generative AI misuse, following incidents where Elon Musk's Grok chatbot enabled deepfake creation. California has a strict stance on sexual deepfakes, and five anonymous women have sued xAI and Stability AI for using their photos to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The article highlights growing regulatory and legal pressure on tech platforms to curb AI-generated abuse.
Source report
Apple and Google both reiterated their stance on policy-violating apps and confirmed they had taken action against the offending apps
Updated - July 19, 2026 04:37 pm IST
The Hindu Bureau
San Francisco has called on Apple and Google to remove AI-powered "nudification" apps from their respective app stores, according to TechCrunch. These apps allow users to misuse artificial intelligence to create deepfake images by digitally undressing people using their photos or videos, leading to the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes and nude images — a criminal offense.
The two companies were sent multiple complaint letters regarding the presence of such apps in their app marketplaces, but they did not take action against them at the earliest opportunity. However, both Apple and Google later reiterated their stance on policy-violating apps and confirmed they had taken action against the offending apps, 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 after Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok allowed social media users worldwide to create non-consensual sexual deepfakes of others and spread them online earlier this year.
In a related development, 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 shared their distress, with some fearing that AI deepfakes of them shared online could lead to offline stalking by sex predators.
Published - July 18, 2026 02:43 pm IST
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San Francisco urges Apple and Google to remove AI nudification apps from app stores