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Hundreds of Mundane AI Apps Are Hiding Sexually Abusive Deepfake Features

wired.com8 points2 comments
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A network of more than 400 apps and websites presented themselves as ordinary AI services - such as pet portrait makers, language tutors, and workout coaches - but could secretly switch to tools for generating sexually abusive deepfake images and videos. Researchers found that the services let users upload someone’s photo and place them in explicit templates, including violent scenarios. Their apps checked information such as a user’s location and language before deciding whether to show the harmless version or the hidden interface; arriving through an associated social-media ad appeared to be one trigger. The network also promoted its tools with tens of thousands of ads on Facebook and Instagram, including ads depicting sexualized minors.

Researchers traced the operation to Chinese-language developers and a Hong Kong company, KeLing Technology Limited, citing shared code, hosting, domain records, and contact details. The apps appeared from late 2025, with dozens of new services registered in some weeks; one was downloaded more than 100,000 times, while the network’s apps collectively exceeded 350,000 downloads. Apple and Google removed apps after questions about their hidden functions. Apple said developers had changed content after approval, exploiting a bait-and-switch weakness in app review. Meta said it had banned KeLing from advertising and later took action against thousands of linked accounts, pages, and ads. The findings expose how operators can exploit app stores and ad systems despite platforms’ stated bans on nudification tools and abusive deepfakes.

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