San Francisco Orders Apple and Google to Remove AI Nudify Apps
First major US city to enforce removal of deepfake image apps that create non-consensual intimate imagery.
City Attorney Issues Formal Order
San Francisco's Attorney General has ordered Apple and Google to stop profiting from apps that use AI to generate fake nude images of people. The order cites estimates that both companies have earned millions in fees from these applications.
The move represents the first coordinated municipal action targeting this category of AI-powered apps in a major US city. The order applies to apps marketed or functioning as tools to create non-consensual intimate imagery.
Platform Revenue Model Under Scrutiny
Both Apple and Google collect a percentage of app purchases and in-app transactions through their respective stores. The San Francisco order highlights how platform operators financially benefit from apps designed to create harmful content.
This precedent may influence how other jurisdictions approach app store accountability for content categories that enable abuse, even when the platforms themselves don't create the underlying technology.
Enforcement Timeline Unclear
The order does not specify a deadline for compliance or detail what penalties might follow if the companies do not remove the apps. Neither Apple nor Google has publicly responded to the directive at this time.