Social Media Platforms as Gateways to Nudify Apps
A new study from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), an anti-hate and anti-extremism organization, reveals that mainstream social media platforms are directly referring users to so-called “nudify” apps and websites. These tools allow individuals to digitally undress people without their consent, creating nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes. The report, published on Monday, analyzed the top 10 apps and websites used to generate such imagery and how users discover them.
Major Traffic Sources: YouTube and X
According to the ISD report, social networks drove more than 5.7 million visits to nudify sites between December 2025 and March 2026. The top driver was YouTube, responsible for 1.82 million site visits (over 30% of referrals). These videos appeared after searches for keywords like “undress app” or “nudify app” and ranged from app reviews to promotions with promo codes for free credits. X was the second most prominent source, accounting for over 1.3 million visits.
Conflict with Platform Policies
The study’s authors noted that these findings are in “direct conflict” with YouTube’s policies, which prohibit sexually explicit content and links to such websites. Melanie Smith, ISD’s senior director of research and policy, told WIRED that YouTube was not just a passive source—it was actively facilitating the use of these tools. She highlighted that YouTube’s policies also prohibit advertising for sexually explicit websites (e.g., OnlyFans), which should cover nonconsensual imagery, but enforcement appears lacking. In response, YouTube spokesperson Boot Bullwinkle stated the company has strict policies against unwanted sexualization, including nonconsensual intimate imagery and altered/synthetic content simulating nudity.
Pricing, Profit, and Targets
The study examined the affordability of nudification tools, finding some apps allow users to generate explicit content for as little as $1 per image. Despite low costs, these platforms can be extremely profitable; a recent WIRED report estimated their collective revenue may exceed $10 million per year. Common targets include current and ex-girlfriends, as well as relatives such as sisters and cousins. Interestingly, the motivations are not always sexual—Smith noted that many requests aimed to get people fired from jobs or compromise their lives in nefarious ways.
Platform Responses and Legal Landscape
In January 2026, X faced intense scrutiny when its AI chatbot Grok was used to generate nude images of women without consent, including minors. X responded by limiting Grok to paid users, stating zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity. X did not respond to a request for comment. Nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII) is illegal in the US under the STOP NCII Act, which requires platforms to remove such images within 48 hours of a victim’s takedown request. Most states have adopted anti-deepfake legislation, and in May 2026, Minnesota became the first state to outlaw deepfake requests. Despite these laws, nudify apps continue to spread and have become more sophisticated.
The ISD report calls for “coordinated, system-wide responses” including increased platform regulation and funding for digital literacy workshops. However, a recent WIRED investigation found reported deepfake cases in more than 90 schools worldwide, indicating the problem is not slowing down.