Apple removes AI undressing apps following legal warning
What's the story
Apple has confirmed the removal of the controversial "nudify" apps from its App Store. The move comes after San Francisco city attorney David Chiu demanded both Apple and Google remove these potentially harmful applications. These apps use artificial intelligence (AI) to digitally undress people in photos, often without their consent.
Company statement
Apple has proactively rejected many nudify apps
In response to Chiu's request, Adam Dema, an Apple spokesperson, confirmed the removal of three such apps and said that they are working to terminate their developer accounts from the program.
He added that Apple has always strictly prohibited apps designed to generate or consume pornography.
"Nudification apps are against our App Review Guidelines and we have proactively rejected many of these apps," Dema said in a statement to The Verge.
Legal implications
Legal implications of nudify apps in California
The city of San Francisco has accused Apple and Google of violating California laws against deepfake pornography by hosting these apps on their stores and profiting from them.
The state law criminalizes any act that "knowingly facilitates" or "recklessly aids or abets" the creation of non-consensual deepfake pornography.
In 2025, California also passed a law allowing victims to file civil lawsuits against third-party platforms hosting such content.
Penalty warning
Potential civil penalties loom for Apple and Google
Chiu's office has warned Apple and Google of potential civil penalties if they don't comply with the order within 28 days.
Reports have revealed that dozens of these nudify apps are still available on both platforms.
There are also allegations that the tech giants assisted in processing payments for illegal downloads of these apps, further complicating their legal standing.
Risk assessment
Broader implications of nudification technology misuse
The risk posed by nudify apps isn't limited to celebrities anymore.
Any individual with publicly available photos can be targeted by these apps, making them a potential threat to privacy and consent.
The San Francisco's order highlights the growing concern over the misuse of AI technology in compromising personal privacy and consent.