San Francisco has accused Apple and Google of profiting from applications that generate nonconsensual intimate deepfakes—commonly referred to as “nudify” apps—which digitally unclothe individuals without their consent.
The city stated it has been contacting both tech giants for nearly a year to remove such applications, but they have continued to provide access while monetizing the platforms. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said: “Apple and Google are profiting off apps that exploit women and girls by generating nonconsensual intimate deepfakes.”
The city ordered dozens of these programs to be removed from app stores, yet Apple and Google have persisted in allowing them. In response to San Francisco’s request, Apple has removed three of the apps it was notified about and is terminating developer accounts for four others that violated policies. Google has suspended five apps referenced by the city.
The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act, sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), passed with a vote of 409-2 in the House and unanimously in the Senate. The law makes it a crime to knowingly publish or threaten to publish nonconsensual intimate imagery using AI technology. Penalties include up to two years in prison for adult victims and three years if the victim is a minor.
According to Stack Cybersecurity, 30 states have enacted laws similar to the federal act, while an additional 46 states have their own regulations targeting AI-generated media. Meta began cracking down on such content in 2025 after deepfake “nudify” ads started appearing on its social media platform.
