Loading story…
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu sent cease-and-desist letters to Apple and Google demanding the removal of 13 apps accused of generating nonconsensual nude or explicit deepfake images. The action targets eight apps on Apple’s App Store and five on Google Play, alleging the companies are unlawfully facilitating deepfake pornography under California law by hosting the apps and collecting fees from downloads or in-app purchases tied to the services.
Google said it had already removed the five named Play Store apps, deleted hundreds of similar apps for policy violations, and restricted related search terms. Apple did not comment before publication, though reports noted the company recently tightened App Store rules that place greater responsibility on developers for pornographic content. The dispute highlights growing concern over commercial AI “nudify” tools, including apps, websites, and bots used to create sexualized images of women, girls, and minors without consent.
Track how attackers are adapting to this technology.
4 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
Apple said it removed three apps named in the city attorney's letter from the App Store and is terminating associated developer accounts. This goes beyond the previously noted policy guidance change by describing concrete enforcement action against specific apps and developers.
Apple recently tightened App Store guidance around developer responsibility for pornographic content, according to the report. The change is cited as part of the broader response to AI nudify and explicit deepfake apps.
Google said it had already deleted the five named apps from the Play Store and had removed hundreds of nudifying apps for policy violations. It also said related search terms had been restricted.
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu sent cease-and-desist letters to Apple and Google demanding removal of 13 AI face-swap or "nudify" apps accused of generating nonconsensual nude or explicit deepfake images. The letters argue the companies are facilitating unlawful deepfake pornography by hosting the apps and taking app store fees or in-app payment revenue.
Vulnerabilities, threat actors, malware, products, organizations, and breaches Mallory has linked to this story.
Follow how adversaries are adapting to this technology, and where it touches your stack today.
5 references tracked. Mallory keeps watching after this page renders.
malware.news
Open sourceghacks.net
Open sourcearstechnica.com
Open sourcewired.com
Open sourcemacrumors.com
Open sourceMap indicators from this story to your assets and identify affected systems in minutes.
Every observed campaign, victim, and pivot linked to actors named in this story.
Malware, exploits, and IOCs connected to the activity described here.
YARA, Sigma, and Snort rules deployed to your SIEM as soon as they’re published.
Get matching new stories delivered to your team as they break — not the next morning.
Ask questions about this story and take action on the answers.
Other stories Mallory is tracking that overlap on entities, sources, or topic labels.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office seized the domains of 12 websites accused of creating and hosting sexually explicit, nonconsensual AI deepfakes of real people. The platforms allegedly enabled users to fabricate pornography using victims’ faces and bodies and collectively hosted material involving more than 1,200 people, including celebrities, politicians, other public figures, and survivors of domestic abuse. District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the investigation remains ongoing and that prosecutors will watch for efforts to reconstitute the services on replacement domains. The seizure, described as among the largest legal actions against explicit-deepfake sites, targets a form of sexual exploitation that can damage victims’ personal and professional lives and be used to threaten victims with distribution of fabricated imagery.
Sep 15, 2026
Meta is facing renewed scrutiny after the Tech Transparency Project reported that more than **7,500 ads** for AI-powered “nudify” services appeared on **Facebook** and **Instagram**, despite platform rules banning sexually exploitative content. The ads promoted tools that digitally remove clothing from images of women, raising concerns about AI-enabled sexual abuse and failures in ad moderation across Meta’s platforms. The report said the ad surge was tied to **GatherOne**, a Chinese advertising partner that may spend more than **$70 million annually** on Meta ads. Researchers also said one promoted app had previously been linked to **child sexual abuse material**. Meta said it takes aggressive action against nudify apps and can remove ads, impose financial penalties, or suspend advertiser accounts, but the findings are likely to intensify regulatory and public pressure over how the company handles abusive AI content and high-spending advertisers.
Aug 5, 2026
The Federal Trade Commission said it will begin enforcing a key provision of the Take It Down Act on May 19, requiring covered websites and online services to remove reported nonconsensual intimate imagery and AI-generated deepfake content within 48 hours. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson notified major platforms including Meta, Google, and X that failures to comply can trigger investigations and civil penalties of up to **$53,088 per violation**, and said companies must publish clear removal policies and provide accessible reporting channels, including for people who do not have accounts. The requirement applies broadly across websites, apps, social media, image and video sharing services, and gaming platforms. The FTC also urged companies to use hashing technologies and coordinate with groups such as the **National Center for Missing and Exploited Children** and **StopNCII.org** to prevent removed material from being reuploaded. Supporters said the enforcement regime gives the law real consequences for noncompliance, while civil liberties and policy experts warned the short deadline and steep fines could lead platforms to over-remove legitimate content or create openings for bad-faith complaints.
Jun 29, 2026