Apple Inc. and Google have continued to host and promote mobile applications capable of generating non-consensual sexualised images, despite policies that prohibit such content, according to a report published on Wednesday by the Tech Transparency Project.
The report found that searches for terms such as “nudify” and “undress” on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store produced apps that can alter images of individuals, including public figures, to make them appear nude or partially undressed. In some cases, the platforms also displayed advertisements for similar applications within search results.
Researchers identified 18 such apps on Apple’s App Store and 20 on Google Play, noting that several were labeled suitable for general audiences. The group estimated that these applications have been downloaded approximately 483 million times and generated about $122 million in revenue, citing data from market research firm AppMagic.
“It’s not just that the companies are failing to actually appropriately review these apps and continue to approve them and profit from them,” said Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project. “They are actually directing users to the apps themselves.”
Recently, there has been increasing global concern over the spread of tools that enable the creation of non-consensual intimate images, often referred to as deepfakes. Policymakers in multiple jurisdictions have called for stricter enforcement and clearer accountability from technology companies.
Both companies said they have taken action following the report.
Apple stated that it removed 15 apps identified by the researchers after inquiries from Bloomberg and contacted developers of six additional apps regarding potential violations. The company added that some of the apps cited did not breach its guidelines and said it had proactively rejected or removed others in the past.
Google said it had suspended a number of the apps for policy violations and that investigations are ongoing. The company maintained that it enforces rules against content that degrades or objectifies individuals, including applications that claim to undress people.
One of the applications highlighted in the report, “Video Face Swap AI: DeepFace,” had been downloaded more than one million times and was rated suitable for all users. According to the researchers, the app allowed users to place faces onto suggestive video templates. Its developer, Okapi Software, said it had begun an internal review and removed certain user-generated content, adding that it does not permit explicit material.
The report also noted that some apps were openly marketed with sexualised imagery, while others presented themselves as general-purpose AI tools but could be used in similar ways. Features such as autocomplete search suggestions and ranking systems were said to increase their visibility.
Anne Helmond, a professor at Utrecht University, said enforcement by major platforms remains inconsistent. “Applications presented as generic image generators may pass review despite potential misuse,” she said, adding that visibility is often shaped by engagement-driven ranking systems.
Regulatory pressure has increased over the past year. In the United States, President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act in 2025, which criminalizes the publication of non-consensual sexual content and requires online platforms to remove it. In the United Kingdom, legislation expected to be introduced in April 2026 would allow authorities to prosecute technology executives whose companies fail to act on such material.
