More than 400 connected apps and domains were linked to hidden tools capable of generating sexually abusive and violent deepfakes, according to an investigation by WIRED.
Marketed as ordinary AI services, including pet portrait generators, language-learning tools and fitness apps, they could secretly unlock explicit image and video generators using photographs uploaded by users.
Researchers said the network used seemingly legitimate services to conceal tools capable of generating non-consensual sexual imagery and violent scenarios, potentially allowing them to evade app-store reviews.
AI Apps Used Hidden Features to Evade Detection
One example was Viefur, an application marketed as an AI pet portrait generator. While its advertised features allowed users to transform animal photographs into human-like characters, researchers discovered that it could also provide access to sexually explicit deepfake generators.
Each time an app was downloaded, it reportedly contacted a remote server, transmitting information such as the user's language, referral source and a unique identifier. The server then determined whether to display the advertised features or activate the hidden content. This meant an app could appear harmless during an app-store review but display pornographic features to users under different conditions, making its hidden functionality harder to detect.
Researchers also identified a possible connection between activating the hidden features and downloading an app after clicking an advertisement promoting deepfake content on Facebook or Instagram. However, they did not establish every condition that triggered the hidden interfaces.
Paul Bouchaud, a lead researcher at non-profit AI Forensics, described the operation as a coordinated commercial network.
In each case, the ads linked out to the deceptive apps in Apple and Google’s app stores—allowing people to generate explicit images and make payments using Apple and Google Pay. https://t.co/ZDMKsj5wdC pic.twitter.com/atwPXKs51d
— WIRED (@WIRED) November 2, 2026
'This is an organized, commercially run operation: One operator behind hundreds of disposable apps and domains, cloaked to pass App Store review and pushed through tens of thousands of Meta ads under fake payer names,' Bouchaud said.
Researchers also identified templates depicting sexual assault and physical threats, including scenarios involving a man holding a knife to a woman's neck.
Facebook and Instagram Ads Also Under Scrutiny
The investigation traced thousands of advertisements promoting sexually abusive deepfake tools to Meta's Facebook and Instagram platforms. WIRED reported that hundreds of the advertisements contained AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
Meta said it had taken action against 11,600 advertising accounts, more than 4,700 business pages, 5,200 users and 15,000 pages linked to the identified domains. It also blocked 209 apps from advertising on its platforms.
Despite these enforcement measures, WIRED reported that similar advertisements and apps were still being published as it concluded its investigation.
More Than 350,000 Downloads Across Google Play
Researchers identified 27 related apps on Google Play in September 2026, which had collectively received more than 350,000 downloads. Many carried ratings indicating they were suitable for all age groups.
One application, DiffAI, had received more than 100,000 downloads. A Google Play reviewer raised concerns about its content, writing: 'This app contains templates for creating CSAM and other types of pornographic material. It performs no age verification.'
Google had removed most of the identified apps from the Play Store before WIRED contacted the company about the network. Google did not respond to WIRED's request for comment. Apple subsequently removed 19 apps, including Viefur, after receiving details of the investigation.
Apple Says Developers Replaced Approved Content After Review
Apple spokesperson Adam Dema said the applications had initially complied with the company's rules but that developers subsequently changed the websites supplying their content.
'We review every app before it's published, and these apps complied with our rules when we reviewed them,' Dema said.
'After approval, their developers changed the website the app pulls its content from, replacing what we approved with pornographic content, and promoted it through pornographic ads hosted on a third-party platform,' Dema said.
Apple also said it had suspended tens of thousands of apps over the previous year for using similar bait-and-switch tactics. However, the continued publication of similar advertisements and apps as WIRED concluded its investigation, highlighted the challenges facing app stores and social media platforms in preventing abusive AI tools from reaching users.
