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New research reveals that despite policies, Apple and Google’s app marketplaces continue to host dozens of nudify apps capable of generating explicit images, with recommendation systems steering users towards potentially harmful AI-generated content.
A new report has found that Apple and Google’s app marketplaces are still making it easy to find so-called nudify apps, despite both companies’ rules against sexual content. The Tech Transparency Project said searches for terms such as “nudify”, “undress” and “deepnude” surfaced dozens of apps that claim to use artificial intelligence to create nude or sexually explicit images from ordinary photos.
The group said it found 46 such apps on Apple’s App Store and 49 on Google Play in its latest review. It added that around 40% of the apps it identified offered tools that could turn pictures of classmates, colleagues or celebrities into realistic nude images or explicit videos. In an earlier investigation in January, the same organisation reported even larger numbers, saying it had found 55 nudify apps on Google Play and 47 on Apple’s store.
According to the Tech Transparency Project, the problem is not limited to the apps themselves. Its researchers said app-store search tools and recommendation systems were also steering users towards nudify content, including autocomplete suggestions and chains of related app recommendations. The group argued that this amounted to a practical failure of enforcement, even if the platforms formally prohibit such material.
The commercial stakes are substantial. AppMagic data cited in the report suggests the nudify apps identified by the group have been downloaded 483 million times and generated $122 million in revenue. Because Apple and Google can take commissions of up to 30%, the report said the platforms may also have earned significant sums from the category. The issue comes as concern over AI-driven sexual deepfakes intensifies, following recent backlash over nude images generated by xAI’s Grok tool and wider scrutiny of deepfake regulation in the US and Europe.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on April 16, 2026, and references a report from April 15, 2026, indicating recent information. However, similar reports from January 2026 have been identified, suggesting that the issue has been ongoing for several months. This raises questions about the novelty of the findings presented.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from the Tech Transparency Project’s report. However, these quotes cannot be independently verified through other sources, as the report itself is not publicly accessible. This lack of verifiability raises concerns about the authenticity and accuracy of the quoted information.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article is published on Chosun.com, a reputable South Korean news outlet. However, the Tech Transparency Project’s report is not publicly accessible, and the article relies heavily on this single, unverified source. This dependence on a single, unverifiable source diminishes the overall reliability of the information presented.
Plausibility check
Score:
7
Notes:
The claims about Apple and Google hosting ‘nudify’ apps are plausible, given previous reports from January 2026. However, the article does not provide new evidence or details beyond what was previously reported, raising questions about the originality and depth of the investigation.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents claims about Apple and Google hosting ‘nudify’ apps, referencing a report from the Tech Transparency Project. However, the heavy reliance on a single, unverifiable source, the lack of independent verification, and the absence of new evidence beyond previous reports from January 2026 raise significant concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the information presented. Given these issues, the content does not meet the necessary standards for publication under our editorial indemnity.
