Update (18/04/2026) – The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), a US-based nonprofit that campaigns against sexual exploitation, has urged Apple and Google to remove search results and ads promoting “nudify” apps, warning that such features expose even minors to exploitative tools. It also flagged how some apps bypass review systems by posing as photo editors, and raised concerns over app ratings that mark risky platforms as suitable for young users.

Main News (16/04/2026) – Apple and Google are directing users to apps that can create non-consensual nude and sexually explicit images, despite having policies that prohibit such content, according to a new investigation by Tech Transparency Project(TTP).

The report found that the Apple App Store and Google Play Store not only host these so-called “nudify” apps but also promote them through search results, autocomplete suggestions, and sponsored advertisements. These apps use artificial intelligence (AI) to digitally remove clothing from photos of real people, generate pornographic videos, and create sexually explicit AI chatbots.

Massive Reach and Revenue: TTP discovered that users have downloaded the Nudify apps identified during its investigation 483 million times, generating more than $122 million in lifetime revenue. Alarmingly, app stores rated 31 of these apps as suitable for minors, raising concerns, particularly amid increasing incidents of sexual deepfake abuse in schools.

How the Investigation Was Conducted: The investigation builds on TTP’s January 2026 report, which identified more than 100 such apps across both platforms. For the latest study, researchers conducted searches on new iOS and Android devices using terms such as “nudify,” “undress,” “deepfake,” “deepnude,” “adult AI,” “face swap,” and “AI NSFW.”

• 46 unique apps appeared in Apple App Store searches.
• 49 unique apps appeared in the Google Play Store searches.
• 18 Apple apps (39.1%) and 20 Google Play apps (40.8%) were capable of rendering women nude or scantily clad.

In several cases, sponsored ads for these apps appeared at the top of search results, and autocomplete suggestions led users to additional Nudify-related queries, increasing their visibility.

Apps and Features Identified: Many of the apps tested allowed users to upload photos of real individuals and generate explicit images or videos. Some face-swapping tools allowed users to place a person’s face onto nude bodies, while others enabled the creation of sexualized AI companions based on real people. Even when certain apps blocked full nudity, they often produced images of women in bikinis or sexually suggestive poses, which can still violate platform policies against degrading or objectifying individuals.

Examples of apps identified in the investigation include Best Body AI — Fashion Editor, AI Replace & Remove — Fill App, FaceTool: Face Swap & Generate, DreamFace: AI Video Generator, RemakeFace: AI Face Swap, and Reface: Face Swap AI Generator, many of which allow users to generate nude or sexually suggestive images, swap faces onto explicit bodies, or create AI-generated videos.

Company Responses and Enforcement: Apple declined to comment on the findings. However, after TTP and Bloomberg News alerted the company, it removed 15 apps from its App Store.

Google said enforcement actions are ongoing. Google spokesperson Dan Jackson said, “When violations of our policies are reported to us, we investigate and take appropriate action.” He also noted that age ratings on the Google Play Store are assigned by the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC). Following the investigation, Google removed seven apps.

Policy and Privacy Concerns: The findings highlight gaps between the companies’ stated policies and the functioning of their app store ecosystems. Apple prohibits apps containing “overtly sexual or pornographic material,” while Google bars apps that “contain or promote sexual content” or “claim to undress people or see through clothing.” Despite these rules, TTP concluded that both platforms play an active role in amplifying the reach of such applications.

The report also flagged privacy risks associated with some apps subject to Chinese law, which could potentially compel developers to share user data, including sensitive manipulated images, with government authorities.

The TTP findings echo concerns previously raised in India. A December 2025 report by MediaNama highlighted the widespread availability of deepfake-generating apps on the Google Play Store, exposing gaps in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) regulatory approach. While MeitY issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in November 2025 requiring intermediaries to remove non-consensual intimate imagery within 24 hours and proposed amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, these measures largely focus on social media platforms. The report noted that app stores, key distribution channels for such AI tools, remain outside the scope of specific regulatory guidelines, allowing applications capable of generating non-consensual sexual deepfakes to continue operating despite platform policies.

Broader Implications: TTP’s investigation suggests that Apple and Google are not merely passive hosts but key intermediaries in the spread of AI tools capable of generating non-consensual sexual deepfakes. The companies may also benefit financially through advertising placements and commissions on in-app purchases and subscriptions.

As concerns about the misuse of AI to target women and minors grow, the report indicates that the role of major app store operators is likely to face increased regulatory and public scrutiny.

Read More:

• Event Report: Regulating For Deepfakes in India, November 5, Delhi
• How Should the Government have Gone About Deepfake Regulation? #NAMA
• Limits of Labelling: Unpacking India’s Pursuit to Combat ‘Synthetically Generated Information’`