Apple and Google are doing their utmost to convince us that their app stores are the safest places on Earth, like impregnable fortresses accessible only to those who meet strict ethical and technical standards. But it seems that artificial intelligence has decided to take a dark path, and, surprisingly, these major companies are not immune to the consequences. A new report reveals that apps specializing in "nudity" and fake pornographic images are still thriving on the iPhone App Store and Google Play. Even more alarming, the algorithms of these stores sometimes direct users to them directly through advertisements and search results.
Shocking figures and public presence
The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) report wasn't based on mere speculation; it was backed by staggering figures. The report identified 18 apps on the Apple App Store and 20 on the Google Play Store specializing in what's known as "nudify" or nudity apps. These apps weren't just failed experiments tucked away in the dark corners of the app store; they collectively generated approximately $122 million in revenue and were downloaded 483 million times. Yes, you read that right—we're talking about nearly half a billion downloads!
The irony here is that some of these apps were rated “E” for Everyone, meaning any child with a device could easily access them. While parents struggle to limit their children's screen time, “official” app stores were offering tools that could transform real people's photos into pornographic images or insert their faces into inappropriate videos using deepfake technology.
Search algorithms: A tourist guide to bad content
The problem isn't just the existence of the apps, but how users access them. The report claimed that searching for specific keywords provides easy access to these tools. Surprisingly, the platforms themselves were displaying ads for similar apps within the search results, making Apple and Google complicit.Even if unintentionally- In distributing tools that transform real people into sexual images.
There are apps that promote themselves by displaying one actress's face superimposed on another's body, allowing users to place real faces on scantily clad women, yet they still had an age rating suitable for everyone. It seems the store reviewers needed AI glasses to see what was obvious to everyone!
Government reactions and actions
Following the exposure of this scandal, companies, as usual, rushed to hide behind their official statements. Apple told Bloomberg that it had removed 15 of the identified apps, while Google said it had suspended several and confirmed that its policies prohibit explicit sexual content and that the investigation and enforcement process is ongoing. But the question remains: why do we always need an external report to do the work that billions of review systems are supposed to do?
This laxity has prompted governments to take action. In the United Kingdom, the Children's Commissioner has called for a ban on deepfake apps that create sexually explicit images of children. The United States and other countries have also proposed laws prohibiting explicit deepfakes. Even the California Attorney General recently ordered Elon Musk's company, X, to stop producing explicit deepfake images using its artificial intelligence model, Grok.
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