San Francisco demands Apple and Google remove nudify apps

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has formally asked Apple and Google to remove dozens of “nudify” apps from their app stores, warning that both companies could face civil penalties under California law. The letters, reviewed by the outlet, give the platforms 28 days to respond.

These apps use AI to alter photographs, turning clothed subjects into nude images. They are marketed through both stores, and Apple and Google process the payments. His office argues that the firms have known about this for nearly a year and have likely earned millions in fees.

Why California law applies to Apple and Google

California already makes it a crime to knowingly facilitate non-consensual deepfake pornography. A separate law taking effect in 2025 will allow victims to sue third-party facilitators. His letters cite both statutes.

“Apple and Google are profiting from apps that exploit women and girls by creating non-consensual intimate deepfakes,” Chiu said in an email to the outlet. “While the platforms have removed some problematic apps, they still have a responsibility to be proactive and vigilant in preventing sexual abuse.”

The letters follow two reports from the research group, published in January and April, which identified dozens of apps in both stores that sold non-consensual intimate image generation. The group’s April report said Google and Apple had guided users toward such apps and described both as key players in spreading AI tools that turn real people into sexualized images.

The project sent letters to Apple and Google with each report. His office cites this prior notice as part of the basis for warning about civil penalties.

For the people most affected — women and girls whose photos are altered without consent — the practical effect of this order is still uncertain. Even with app removals, the underlying AI models and websites outside app stores remain accessible.

The crackdown targets distribution and payment processing, not the technology itself.

Whether victims will see meaningful relief depends on how aggressively the tech firms police similar apps going forward, and whether the 2025 civil liability law creates enough pressure to change industry behavior.

What Apple and Google have done so far

An Apple spokesperson told the outlet that such apps are not allowed on the App Store under existing policies. “We have removed three of the apps in question and are in the process of terminating their developer accounts. We are also in contact with four others that need to fix policy violations or they may be removed.”

A Google spokesperson said all five Play Store apps mentioned in the letter have been suspended. “When violations are reported to us, we investigate and take swift action. In the case of these apps, that has included suspending hundreds of violating apps and restricting related search terms like the term on our store.”

Neither company provided details on total revenue processed through these apps or the number of downloads involved. Users who purchased or subscribed to any of the affected apps may lose access after developer accounts are terminated, but refund details have not been shared.

Developers creating apps that combine photo editing with generative AI features for iOS or Android should review the specific policies cited by Apple and Google.

Apple’s App Store guidelines already restrict content that sexualizes real people without consent, while Google has restricted search terms including the term across the Play Store. Apps that generate edited images of identifiable individuals without safeguards against non-consensual use are at higher risk of removal under both platforms.

Users who identify such apps on either store can report them using the built-in tools. On iOS, the “Report a Problem” option appears on each app listing. On Android, “Flag as inappropriate” is found under the developer contact section. When reporting non-consensual intimate imagery generation, referencing that specific policy category is recommended.

So far, neither company has confirmed whether they plan to review related apps beyond those specifically named.