Apple and Google reportedly host and profit from sexual deepfake apps

 A new investigation by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) has revealed that Apple and Google are not only hosting but actively facilitating the spread of "nudify" and deepfake apps through their search and advertising systems.

Despite public policies prohibiting sexual and pornographic content, the watchdog group found that search terms such as "undress" or "nudify" frequently triggered sponsored ads and autocomplete suggestions that effectively directed users toward AI tools designed to digitally strip clothes off women.

The report, released on 15 April 2026, identified 18 such apps on Apple’s App Store and 20 on Google Play. Collectively, these applications have been downloaded approximately 483 million times and have generated an estimated $122 million in lifetime revenue.

As both tech giants typically collect a 15% to 30% commission on in-app purchases and subscriptions, they are directly profiting from tools used to create non-consensual sexual imagery.

TTP director Katie Paul noted that many of these apps were shockingly rated "E for everyone" or "13+", making them easily accessible to minors during a global surge in school-related deepfake scandals.

In response to the findings, Apple stated it has removed 15 of the identified apps, while Google reported suspending several for policy violations.

The pressure to act comes as governments worldwide move to close legal loopholes; the UK has introduced measures to criminalise the supply of nudification tools, and California's Attorney General recently issued a cease-and-desist to Elon Musk’s xAI over similar content.

Despite these removals, critics argue the platforms' "proactive" search algorithms continue to stay one step ahead of their own safety reviews.