THE ESSENTIALS IN 30 SECONDS

  • WIRED reports a network of more than 400 linked apps and domains that looked like pet-photo, workout or language apps but could switch to nudify and violent deepfake tools.
  • A server-side check decided which version a user saw, which let the apps pass review at Apple and Google; one trigger was installing after tapping a Meta ad.
  • Apple removed 19 apps after WIRED's inquiry, Google had already pulled most of the Play listings, and Meta says it acted against more than 10,000 ad accounts.

An investigation published by WIRED describes a network of more than 400 connected apps and websites that presented themselves as ordinary services while hiding tools for creating sexual and violent deepfakes. The apps were distributed through both Apple's App Store and Google Play, according to reports by 9to5Mac and AndroidPure that summarize the findings.

How the apps avoided detection

The apps were marketed as everyday utilities, such as dressing up pet photos, AI workout coaching or language lessons, and showed that harmless content by default. When installed, they reportedly sent details such as location, language and a device identifier to a server, which then decided whether to display the benign app or an interface for generating explicit images and videos from uploaded photos. Researcher Paul Bouchaud of the research group AI Forensics, which first spotted the operation in early September, found that one trigger was installing an app after tapping a deepfake-related ad on Facebook or Instagram. Templates included sexual scenes and depictions of violence, and users bought credits to generate content.

The developers changed the content sources behind the apps after approval, a classic bait-and-switch. Some listings had been live for about a year, and AndroidPure notes that many Play listings carried an all-ages rating. In September, 27 of the apps were available on Google Play with more than 350,000 combined downloads, AndroidPure reports. WIRED's review of domain records points to developers based in China; an Infoblox researcher counted almost 500 linked domains.

How the platforms responded

Apple removed 19 apps after WIRED shared details. The company said it reviews every app before publication and that "these apps complied with our rules when we reviewed them," adding that it has recently strengthened its protections and suspended tens of thousands of apps for bait-and-switch tactics over the past year. Google had removed most of the Play listings before WIRED contacted it and did not comment, AndroidPure reports. Meta, whose platforms carried thousands of video ads promoting the network, says it has taken action against more than 10,000 ad accounts linked to the associated domains.

Open questions

The case shows the limits of pre-publication review when an app's behavior can be changed remotely after approval. WIRED reported that similar ads and apps were still appearing as its reporting concluded, so the removals may not end the operation. AI Forensics also points out that an EU ban on nudifier apps is due to take effect in about a month, which could give regulators a new tool against such services.