San Francisco’s attorney general, David Chiu, has sent cease-and-desist letters to Apple and Google, demanding they remove 13 AI-powered "nudify" apps from their app stores. The move targets tools that can turn ordinary photos into explicit images without consent.
What Are Nudify Apps and Why Are They Dangerous?
Nudification apps use artificial intelligence to transform regular photos of real people into explicit images. According to Wired, these harmful AI tools allow bad actors to remove clothing, change a person’s features, place them in sexualized positions, and swap victims’ faces onto other people’s naked bodies.
The apps make it trivially easy for anyone to create non-consensual intimate images, often called deepfake pornography. This technology has been used to target women, teenagers, and public figures, causing serious emotional and reputational harm.
Legal Action Against Tech Giants
Chiu’s letter warned that app stores were violating California’s laws that prohibit supporting services that create deepfake pornography, as reported by Wired. The legal notices specifically demand the removal of 13 apps that enable this illegal activity.
According to Ars Technica, Chiu told Wired that allowing any such apps to remain in app stores is unacceptable. "Generating non-consensual intimate images is illegal," he stated, emphasizing that tech companies must take responsibility for the tools they distribute.
"Generating non-consensual intimate images is illegal." — David Chiu, San Francisco Attorney General, via Ars Technica
What This Means for Apple and Google
The cease-and-desist letters put direct pressure on two of the world’s largest tech companies. Apple and Google control the app stores where these nudify apps are available for download. By demanding removal, San Francisco is holding the platforms accountable for hosting tools that break state law.
According to Techmeme, the City Attorney's Office sent the tech giants cease-and-desist notices, making it clear that continued hosting of these apps could lead to further legal consequences. The action targets 13 specific apps, though the number of similar tools available online is likely much larger.
Our Take: A Necessary Step Against Digital Abuse
This is a strong and necessary move by San Francisco. Nudify apps are not harmless fun — they are weapons for digital abuse. They allow anyone to create explicit images of another person without their knowledge or consent, often with devastating real-world consequences.
For too long, app stores have acted as passive distributors of harmful technology. By sending these legal notices, San Francisco is telling Apple and Google that they cannot ignore the damage their platforms enable. In our view, this sets an important precedent. If tech companies profit from apps that break the law, they should face consequences.
The message is clear: creating non-consensual intimate images is illegal, and the platforms that make it possible must be held accountable. Other cities and states should take note and follow San Francisco’s lead.
