The tech world is witnessing a major legal showdown as the city of San Francisco officially takes on Apple and Google.
City Attorney David Chiu issued a formal order demanding that both tech giants purge dozens of artificial intelligence powered "nudify" apps from their respective storefronts.
These controversial applications use generative AI to digitally strip clothing from photographs, creating realistic but completely fabricated nude images of individuals without their knowledge or consent.
Regulators are drawing a hard line, arguing that the software actively facilitates sexual abuse and targets women and girls.
This legal action is not just a polite request but a ticking clock, giving both corporations exactly twenty-eight days to coordinate with the city or face severe civil penalties.
Under California law, it is a crime to knowingly facilitate or aid in the creation of non-consensual deepfake pornography. Furthermore, a state law passed in 2025 gives victims the explicit right to file civil lawsuits directly against third-party facilitators, a category that includes app store operators who help distribute or monetize this harmful material.
The city claims that both Apple and Google have been on notice for nearly a year regarding these specific risks but failed to clean up their platforms completely.
What makes this situation particularly thorny is the financial side of the equation.
According to research from the Tech Transparency Project and market analytics firm AppMagic, these undressing apps have been incredibly lucrative.
They have racked up over 483 million downloads globally and generated more than $122 million in lifetime revenue.
Because both Apple and Google take a standard cut of up to 30% on in-app purchases and subscriptions, the city argues that the tech giants have pocketed millions of dollars while actively profiting from illegal services.
Watchdogs have even pointed out that the platforms occasionally boosted these apps through search autocomplete suggestions and targeted ad carousels, increasing their visibility to everyday users.
In response to the escalating pressure, both companies have rushed to defend their store policies and show that they are taking action.
Apple reiterated that overtly sexual or pornographic material is strictly forbidden under its developer guidelines, confirming it has removed three of the flagged apps and is terminating those developer accounts while investigating four others.
Google similarly announced that it suspended all five specific applications referenced in the city's letter, noting that it has already taken down hundreds of offending apps and restricted search terms like nudify on Google Play.
While these swift removals show progress, the legal order makes it clear that city officials expect a permanent, proactive system of vigilance rather than a reactive game of whack-a-mole.
Read: Lots Of 'Nudify' Apps Like Grok, And Worse, Plague Google Play Store And Apple App Store
