Apple updates App Store rules to ban hidden nudify apps

Apple tightened its App Store developer guidelines over the weekend, banning apps that use AI to generate offensive content and those that pass review as ordinary apps before revealing hidden “nudification” features — a tactic the company calls bait-and-switch. The new language requires apps that host user-generated content to filter objectionable material, let people report offensive posts, and allow blocking of abusive accounts; Apple said it will pull any app that adds capabilities absent from the version submitted for review.

Apple also strengthened the legal section of its guidelines to reinforce that it will bar apps that promote human trafficking and the exploitation of children. The company said its review process blocked over 150,000 apps from reaching users last year and removed 193,000 developer accounts over fraud and abuse.

The update follows outside pressure on both major app marketplaces. In July, San Francisco ordered Apple and Google to pull nudification apps from their stores, with City Attorney David Chiu accusing the two firms of pocketing fees from nudify apps hosted on their platforms. A Tech Transparency Project report in April had already found multiple nudify apps on both companies’ stores, some of them rated suitable for minors.

Why it matters

The rule change gives Apple a clearer basis to remove deceptive AI apps before they reach users, at a moment when regulators and watchdogs are pressing both major app stores over how they police nudify tools.