Apple told to pull 8 nudify apps from App Store

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has sent cease-and-desist letters to Apple and Google, demanding the removal of 13 so-called “nudify” apps — eight on the App Store and five on the Play Store.

According to Wired, the apps largely present themselves as face-swapping tools, while making sexual deepfake features available after users sign up. One app with more than 1 million downloads reportedly showcases more than a dozen AI image styles, including “bikini queen curvy,” “calm busty,” and “cinematic intimacy.” Another says it can generate “free and uncensored” videos.

Chiu’s letter says Apple and Google have been “profiting from the harmful technology,” and he told Wired the companies have likely “made millions of dollars in fees” from apps offering nudification through in-app payments.

“These companies have responsibility to ensure that apps on their platforms do not facilitate sexual abuse.” “The fact that some of the world’s largest and most established technology companies are facilitating this has to stop.”

The legal letters argue that California law prohibits supporting services that create deepfake pornography. Wired said it did not publish the names of the apps to avoid sending more users to them.

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The latest clash comes nearly six months after the Tech Transparency Project published a report identifying dozens of nudify apps on the App Store. A follow-up investigation in April said Apple’s own search suggestions and ads had directed users toward them.

At the time, Apple told 9to5Mac that nudify apps violate its App Review Guidelines and that it proactively rejects and removes them, including through reports filed at reportaproblem.apple.com. Wired said Google claimed it acts on apps reported for policy violations, while Apple did not comment before publication.