Apple updates App Store rules to ban AI nudification and bait-and-switch apps
New guidelines require developers to proactively remove nonconsensual intimate imagery and prohibit hidden features that appear after approval.
Key points
- Apple updated App Review Guidelines to explicitly ban AI-generated nonconsensual intimate imagery and require proactive removal.
- New rules prohibit "bait-and-switch" apps that hide harmful features, such as nudification, until after App Store approval.
- Developers who fail to implement safeguards or remedy violations after notice risk removal from the App Store and Developer Program.
Apple updated its App Review Guidelines today to strengthen protections against harmful content and deceptive app review practices, according to a report by 9to5Mac. The changes explicitly ban apps that generate nonconsensual intimate imagery using AI tools and prohibit developers from hiding harmful capabilities until after an app is approved.
The updated Section 1.2 rules now require developers to proactively prevent and remove AI-generated deepfakes, according to MacRumors. Apple warns that apps containing offending content could be removed if developers fail to act. Developers who do not implement appropriate safeguards or fail to remediate identified violations after notice may be considered in violation of the Developer Code of Conduct.
Context for the rule changes
These updates follow significant criticism after users utilized the Grok AI chatbot to create sexualized deepfakes of women and minors earlier this year, according to The Verge. Apple did not remove X or Grok from the store but confirmed it privately warned xAI that the app could be removed unless the issue was addressed.
San Francisco officials ordered Apple to remove 13 nudify apps in July, and Apple stated it complied with that order, according to The Verge. Additionally, a 9to5Mac investigation in July uncovered dozens of apps disguising gambling platforms as simple games to evade review, many of which were available to children.
Targeting deceptive practices
Apple added guideline 2.5.19 to clarify that developers who add features not present in the version submitted for review risk removal from the App Store and the Apple Developer Program, according to MacRumors. The company links this rule to bait-and-switch tactics where apps misrepresent their purpose during review and only reveal harmful capabilities like nudification after approval.
Apps containing hidden, dormant, or undocumented features are prohibited, and their functionality must be clear to end users and App Review, according to 9to5Mac. Apple also extended its ban on apps facilitating human trafficking or child exploitation to alternative app distribution channels in updated Section 5 rules.
What should you do?
Security professionals should monitor app behavior for features that differ from store descriptions, particularly those involving AI image generation. Developers must audit their applications to ensure no undocumented features exist and that content moderation safeguards are actively implemented. Organizations should verify that their approved apps comply with these new transparency requirements to avoid removal.
What to do and how to stay safe: Apple
- Review approved applications for any features or functionalities that were not disclosed during the initial App Store submission process.
- Implement proactive content moderation systems to detect and remove AI-generated nonconsensual intimate imagery before it reaches users.
- Monitor official developer communications from Apple for further clarifications on how hidden features and bait-and-switch tactics are defined and enforced.
- Audit third-party applications used within enterprise environments to ensure they do not contain undocumented capabilities that could pose security or compliance risks.
Step-by-step guide: Mobile Device Security: How to Protect Data Beyond Passwords
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
What new rules are Apple implementing for AI apps?
Apple now explicitly bans apps that create nonconsensual intimate imagery using AI and requires developers to proactively prevent and remove such content.
Can Apple remove apps for hiding features?
Yes, Apple added guideline 2.5.19 stating developers risk removal if they add features or functionality not present in the version submitted for review.
Did Apple remove Grok from the App Store?
No, Apple did not remove Grok but privately warned xAI that it would do so unless the company addressed the issue of nonconsensual deepfakes.
