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San Francisco City Attorney Orders Apple and Google to Pull 13 AI 'Nudify' Apps From App Stores

July 18, 2026 at 07:33 EDT

Policy & Regulation
Security
Media Generation

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has demanded that Apple and Google remove 13 face-swapping applications that can generate non-consensual nude images, giving the tech giants 28 days to act and sever ties with the apps' developers. The cease-and-desist letters, sent around July 17, 2026, target eight apps on Apple's App Store and five on Google Play, according to a report by WIRED.

July 17, 2026 · Office of the SF City Attorney

San Francisco Orders Apple & Google to Purge 13 AI "Nudify" Apps

City Attorney David Chiu sent cease-and-desist letters demanding both stores delete face-swapping apps that generate non-consensual nude images — and gave the tech giants 28 days to act and cut ties with the developers behind them.

apps targeted
(8 on App Store · 5 on Google Play)

days to remove apps & sever developer ties

~100

related apps found across both stores by researchers

The gap between what's advertised and what's built

Marketed as harmless "face-swapping" tools — but research from Cornell and Georgetown found most tested apps could produce nude imagery with no safeguards.

~30%

had safeguards

~70%

could generate nude images

Documented reach

~480M

cumulative downloads across the apps

Estimated revenue

~$120M

generated by the category, with stores earning in-app fees

Platforms respond

Apple — removed 3 apps, terminating those developer accounts; pressing 4 others to fix violations.

Google — suspended all 5 flagged apps; previously pulled hundreds and restricted searches like "nudify."

The lingering concern

Researchers say the problem persists even after repeated reporting, raising doubts that store enforcement can keep pace.

Why it matters

A "dual-use" face-swap app can be trivially turned toward abuse — overwhelmingly against women and girls. With a 28-day deadline set, the coming weeks test whether the letters trigger a broader purge or fresh legal escalation.

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