San Francisco orders Apple, Google to remove AI undressing apps
What's the story
San Francisco has ordered tech giants Apple and Google to remove "nudify" apps from their platforms. These controversial applications use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to digitally undress people in photos, often without their consent. The city attorney David Chiu has accused the companies of violating California laws against deepfake pornography by allowing these apps on their stores and profiting from them.
Legal consequences
Tech giants have 28 days to comply with order
Chiu's office has warned Apple and Google that they could face 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.
Victim rights
California law allows victims to file civil lawsuits
The California law not only prohibits the creation of non-consensual deepfake pornography but also allows victims to file civil lawsuits against third-party platforms that host such content.
This provision highlights the fact that anyone with publicly available photos could be a potential target of these nudify apps, not just celebrities.