San Francisco has ordered Apple and Google to remove dozens of 'nudify' apps from their app stores, citing laws against producing non-consensual deepfake pornography. The apps allow users to digitally alter images without consent, posing a significant safety concern for women and girls.
The city attorney, David Chiu, stated that the tech giants are profiting off these exploitative programs, despite knowing about them since January 2025. These apps have generated non-consensual intimate deepfakes, leading to calls for stronger regulation of digital content.
Chiu’s office has warned both companies about their role in hosting payments for illegal purchases and making money from these services. Google and Apple have acknowledged some actions but claim they are taking steps to address the issues, suspending apps and removing developers' accounts.
The impact of such apps extends beyond celebrities; any individual with a publicly available photo can become a target. This raises questions about privacy and consent in an increasingly digital world, where images can be manipulated without permission.
