Artificial intelligence applications capable of generating nonconsensual pornographic and nude imagery remain easily accessible to underage users on major app marketplaces, despite platform rules and parental control features. According to a report published on Monday by The Guardian, researchers found that accounts configured for 13-year-old users could bypass existing restrictions to acquire dozens of unauthorized editing tools.
The findings shed light on systemic vulnerabilities in how digital storefronts police user age and vet third-party software. The investigation highlights the growing availability of generative editing tools that allow individuals to create explicit deepfakes of classmates, private citizens, and public figures.
Testing Methodology and Storefront Access
To evaluate platform safety, researchers at the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) established four test accounts—two on Apple’s iOS platform and two on Google’s Android ecosystem. Each account was explicitly configured to indicate that the holder was 13 years old. Using search terms such as “adult AI” and “AI video generator,” investigators attempted to locate image-manipulation and face-swapping utilities.
Across these test profiles, researchers successfully downloaded 135 distinct applications equipped with features designed to strip clothing from images or superimpose faces onto nude bodies. During testing, investigators utilized AI-generated sample images rather than photographs of real individuals.
Parental control features intended to block inappropriate downloads proved largely ineffective. Two of the test accounts were subjected to strict parental configurations that required adult sign-off for downloads and restricted content to age-appropriate categories. However, neither Apple nor Google enforced parental approval for the acquisition of the nudification software. The Apple account with parental controls enabled successfully downloaded 24 restricted apps, while the Google account under similar restrictions acquired 51 such applications.
Misleading Ratings and Developer Loopholes
The investigation revealed that enforcement mechanisms on both marketplaces rely heavily on self-reported classifications provided by app developers. Many explicit programs were miscategorized as suitable for younger audiences. One face-swapping application featuring promotional imagery of an explicit sexual act was officially rated as appropriate for users aged four and older.
Other utilities, including an image-to-video generator displaying a topless woman upon launch, received ratings deeming them safe for children aged nine and above. When researchers attempted to download explicitly adult-rated applications, the barriers were frequently trivial. On Apple’s storefront, an account registered as 13 years old was able to bypass an age-restriction prompt simply by confirming a birth year indicating majority age, with no parental verification required.
Platform Responses and Persistent Removal Challenges
In response to the findings, major technology firms moved to purge violating software from their inventories. During the course of the investigation, Apple removed 25 nudify apps, while Google suspended six. Representatives for the platforms emphasized their commitment to maintaining secure digital environments.
Google spokesperson Dan Jackson stated that the company regularly executes proactive measures to detect and eliminate harmful content, noting that investigators’ reports prompted swift suspensions and search restrictions. Meanwhile, Apple spokesperson Adam Dema argued that several referenced programs function primarily as mainstream editing tools, noting that the company strictly prohibits malicious “bait-and-switch” tactics where developers alter app capabilities after initial review. Following outreach from researchers, Apple strengthened its internal moderation guidelines to preemptively target nonconsensual intimate imagery.
However, removing a program from an app marketplace does not eliminate existing installations. Researchers discovered that applications downloaded prior to store removal remained fully operational on test devices. This persistence mirrors real-world incidents, such as a case in Pennsylvania where a high school student utilized an editing app named Movely to create nonconsensual explicit material targeting peers. Local law enforcement subsequently filed criminal harassment charges against the student, while affected families continue to grapple with the emotional fallout and the permanence of digital data.