Apple, Google pull ‘nudify’ apps after probe finds platforms profited from deepfake abuse
The Tech Transparency Project said more than 100 apps capable of digitally “undressing” women were available to millions of users, despite both companies’ policies banning sexually explicit content.
- Jan 28, 2026,
- Updated Jan 28, 2026 12:34 PM IST
Apple and Google have begun removing AI-powered “nudify” applications from their app stores after an investigation found the platforms were profiting from tools used to create non-consensual sexual imagery.
The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) said more than 100 apps capable of digitally “undressing” women were available to millions of users, despite both companies’ policies banning sexually explicit content.
A separate CNBC investigation found that more than 80 women in Minnesota were victimised after their public social media photos were fed into a nudify service to generate sexualised deepfakes without consent.
The TTP report said advances in AI models have made it easier to generate explicit deepfake content, with the technology packaged into simple consumer apps. Fourteen of the apps reviewed were based in China.
“China’s data retention laws mean that the Chinese government has the right to data from any company anywhere in China, so if somebody’s making deepfake nudes of you, those are now in the hands of the Chinese government if they use one of those apps,” said Katie Paul, director of the TTP.
Following the report’s publication on January 27, Apple confirmed to CNBC that it had removed 28 apps identified by TTP and issued formal warnings to other developers. Google said it initially suspended several apps and later removed 31 from the Play Store as part of an “ongoing review.”
TTP estimated that the apps collectively amassed more than 705 million downloads and generated about $117 million (roughly Rs 1,073 crore) in lifetime revenue. Because Apple and Google typically take commissions of up to 30% on in-app purchases, the researchers said both companies were effectively earning money from abusive deepfake content.
The controversy has also renewed scrutiny of Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot, integrated into social media platform X. TTP researchers found that searching for “nudify” in Apple’s App Store returned Grok as the top organic result.
Separately, Copyleaks estimated that Grok was producing “roughly one non-consensual sexualised image per minute” during the peak of the scandal earlier this month. Amid global pressure, including a cease-and-desist letter from California’s attorney general and threats of a ban in the UK, xAI has restricted Grok’s image-editing features to paying users and introduced geoblocking in some regions.
The TTP report criticised Apple and Google for failing to keep pace with what it described as a “mass digital undressing spree” enabled by generative AI. Many of the apps flagged had cleared standard review processes and were rated suitable for children as young as four or nine.
“Apple and Google are supposed to be vetting the apps in their stores. But they’ve been offering dozens of apps that can be used to show people with minimal or no clothing—making them ripe for abuse,” said Michelle Kuppersmith, executive director of the nonprofit that runs TTP.
The findings have prompted calls from US senators and civil society groups for a blanket ban on apps that enable technology-facilitated sexual abuse, as regulators in the UK, Europe and India step up scrutiny of platform safety practices.
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Apple and Google have begun removing AI-powered “nudify” applications from their app stores after an investigation found the platforms were profiting from tools used to create non-consensual sexual imagery.
The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) said more than 100 apps capable of digitally “undressing” women were available to millions of users, despite both companies’ policies banning sexually explicit content.
A separate CNBC investigation found that more than 80 women in Minnesota were victimised after their public social media photos were fed into a nudify service to generate sexualised deepfakes without consent.
The TTP report said advances in AI models have made it easier to generate explicit deepfake content, with the technology packaged into simple consumer apps. Fourteen of the apps reviewed were based in China.
“China’s data retention laws mean that the Chinese government has the right to data from any company anywhere in China, so if somebody’s making deepfake nudes of you, those are now in the hands of the Chinese government if they use one of those apps,” said Katie Paul, director of the TTP.
Following the report’s publication on January 27, Apple confirmed to CNBC that it had removed 28 apps identified by TTP and issued formal warnings to other developers. Google said it initially suspended several apps and later removed 31 from the Play Store as part of an “ongoing review.”
TTP estimated that the apps collectively amassed more than 705 million downloads and generated about $117 million (roughly Rs 1,073 crore) in lifetime revenue. Because Apple and Google typically take commissions of up to 30% on in-app purchases, the researchers said both companies were effectively earning money from abusive deepfake content.
The controversy has also renewed scrutiny of Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot, integrated into social media platform X. TTP researchers found that searching for “nudify” in Apple’s App Store returned Grok as the top organic result.
Separately, Copyleaks estimated that Grok was producing “roughly one non-consensual sexualised image per minute” during the peak of the scandal earlier this month. Amid global pressure, including a cease-and-desist letter from California’s attorney general and threats of a ban in the UK, xAI has restricted Grok’s image-editing features to paying users and introduced geoblocking in some regions.
The TTP report criticised Apple and Google for failing to keep pace with what it described as a “mass digital undressing spree” enabled by generative AI. Many of the apps flagged had cleared standard review processes and were rated suitable for children as young as four or nine.
“Apple and Google are supposed to be vetting the apps in their stores. But they’ve been offering dozens of apps that can be used to show people with minimal or no clothing—making them ripe for abuse,” said Michelle Kuppersmith, executive director of the nonprofit that runs TTP.
The findings have prompted calls from US senators and civil society groups for a blanket ban on apps that enable technology-facilitated sexual abuse, as regulators in the UK, Europe and India step up scrutiny of platform safety practices.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine