Ai 'Stripping' Apps Still Available On Apple And Google Stores: A Closer Look

AI 'Stripping' Apps: A Persisting Issue

In a surprising revelation, apps that enable users to create AI-generated "nude" images of real people are still on the shelves of Apple and Google's app stores. This comes despite the creation and distribution of sexually explicit deepfakes being outlawed in the UK following backlash against Elon Musk's Grok for generating inappropriate images of women and children.

An investigation by The Independent uncovered several apps capable of "stripping" women's photos, available for download from these app stores in the UK. A previous study by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) had highlighted 55 such apps on the US Google Play Store and 47 on the Apple App Store. The situation seems mirrored in the UK.

“As technology evolves, women and girls’ safety depends on tighter regulation around image-based abuse, whether real or deepfake, as well as specialist training for prosecutors and police,” commented Emma Pickering from the charity Refuge.

App Store Policies in the Spotlight

Google's policy explicitly prohibits apps that promote sexual content or behavior, including non-consensual sexual content. Similarly, Apple's guidelines reject content that is offensive, overtly sexual, or pornographic. However, both stores continue to host such apps, with one app even allowing users to generate videos of women taking their tops off from a single photo upload, boasting over 5 million downloads.

Apple has reportedly removed 28 of the 47 apps flagged by the TTP and engaged with developers to address policy violations. Google also appears to be taking steps to remove offending apps. Despite these efforts, apps allowing users to "try on" clothing and placing images of women in bikinis persist.

Call for Stricter Regulations

The continued availability of these apps has drawn criticism from women's rights organizations, including Refuge, Women's Aid, and Womankind Worldwide. They stress the "dangerous" implications for women's safety and mental health, urging for stronger regulations and protections against AI-driven intimate image abuse.

Emma Pickering emphasized the need for swift justice and robust protections for women, advocating for the right to use technology without fear of abuse. The Independent has reached out to Google and the government for further comments on the issue.