Apple and Google app stores exposed for hosting AI nudify apps: Report

A new investigation has raised serious concerns about how major app stores are handling AI-powered deepfake tools that can be used to create non-consensual sexual content.

According to a report by the Tech Transparency Project, there are dozens of nudify and face-swap apps on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, despite the strict policies against sexual nudity. The report found 55 apps on Google Play and 47 on the App Store of Apple, with 38 of them available on both stores.

The apps employ artificial intelligence to remove clothes from pictures, create explicit content from text descriptions, or superimpose a person’s face on another body. The report found that the majority of the apps were not resistant to lewd or abusive text descriptions, especially for women.

The apps were also able to generate significant revenue for their developers through in-app purchases and subscriptions. According to the report, the platforms can charge up to a 30% commission on the payments. This means that Apple and Google may have profited from the apps that violated their rules.

One app cited in the report, DreamFace, reportedly generated around $1 million in revenue before being removed from Apple’s store. It remains available on Google Play.

Another app, named Collart, was discovered to allow user prompts of women in explicit sexual situations, with no precautions taken. Although this app has been removed by Apple, it is still available on Google Play. More worrying are face-swap applications, which enable users to put real faces onto nude bodies. RemakeFace was still available on both stores as of the time of writing, according to the report.

Following these findings, Google removed 31 apps, and Apple removed 25. However, other similar tools are still available. The researcher warns that the enforcement of the policies appears to be reactive rather than proactive.