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Network of 400+ apps hid sexually abusive deepfake features

See how this story connects

Source: Wired

Wired found a network of more than 400 connected domains and apps that posed as everyday services such as pet photo generators and language tutors. Under certain conditions they loaded a web interface that generated explicit AI sexual images and videos from uploaded photos. The network appears to be run by Chinese developers and a Hong Kong-registered entity, KeLing Technology Limited. At times it published dozens of apps per week, and 27 apps live on Google’s Play Store in September had been downloaded more than 350,000 times collectively. The apps took payments through in-app purchases and were promoted through thousands of explicit deepfake ads on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, including ads containing AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

Why it matters

Users who downloaded these apps from official app stores could be shown explicit deepfake generation tools without disclosure, and the ads reached tens of thousands of people. Apple removed 19 apps after Wired’s inquiry, Google had removed the majority of the apps before Wired contacted it, and Meta said it took action against 11,600 ad accounts, more than 4,700 business pages and 15,000 pages linked to the domains.

When
2 Nov 2026
ID
WTA-N-2026-0614
Who
Google, Apple, Meta, KeLing Technology Limited, AI Forensics, Infoblox, Tech Transparency Project; Paul Bouchaud, Maël Le Touz, Katie Paul

Summary written with AI by wheresthe.ai, from Wired. Checked against the source on 2 Nov 2026.

Read the original at Wired

Source copy: saved on 2 Nov 2026 to check this story and not republished, because the text belongs to its publisher. Also held by the Internet Archive.

Next stop on this Storyline: What happened nextApple requires 18+ ratings for dating and romantic AI companion apps

Cite this story

WTA-N-2026-0614: “Network of 400+ apps hid sexually abusive deepfake features.” wheresthe.ai, 2 Nov 2026. https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-network-of-400-apps-hid-sexually-abusive-deepfake-feature-2026-11/ (source: Wired).

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