Meta Sues App-Maker as It Cracks Down on ‘Nudifying’ Apps
Meta has filed a lawsuit against the company behind ‘nudify’ apps like CrushAI, aiming to stop ads for these non-consensual AI-generated image services. The rising number of such apps has prompted renewed calls for legislation to ban them, particularly relating to children. In addition to legal actions, Meta is collaborating with other tech firms to combat the issue and developing technology to identify such problematic ads effectively.
In a significant move, Meta has initiated legal proceedings against the company behind the “nudify” apps, specifically targeting the firm that developed CrushAI. The lawsuit aims to curb the rise of ads promoting these apps—platforms that utilize artificial intelligence to fabricate nude images of individuals without their consent. This legal action follows an ongoing struggle to eliminate these advertisements that have proliferated on Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, over recent months.
Back in January, a blog known as FakedUp uncovered a staggering 8,010 ads from CrushAI that touted these dubious nudifying applications. In a blog post, Meta emphasized, “This legal action underscores both the seriousness with which we take this abuse and our commitment to doing all we can to protect our community from it.” The tech giant added that it will continue pursuing necessary measures, including potential legal action, against those exploiting its platforms.
As generative AI technology advances, the emergence of these nudifying apps has become distressingly common. The situation has become so alarming that the children’s commission for England had to call on the government in April to consider legislation to outright ban such apps, highlighting the serious concern regarding AI-generated sexual content featuring minors, which is already illegal.
Furthermore, Meta has also pledged to collaborate with other tech companies to address the broader issues of nudifying apps. Since late March, it reports sharing over 3,800 unique URLs with partner firms, aiming to combat the problem more effectively. The company acknowledged a challenge where advertisers circumvent Meta’s rules by using different domain names to evade detection. To tackle this, Meta has developed innovative tech to spot such problematic ads, even if these ads don’t contain nudity.
Nudify apps are merely one element of the wider conundrum of generative AI’s influence on social media. A notable concern includes the threat posed by deepfakes—digital creations that can present hyper-realistic images or videos of famous individuals, thereby creating scams or spreading misinformation. Recently, in June, Meta’s Oversight Board criticized the decision not to remove a Facebook post that displayed an AI-altered video of Brazilian football icon Ronaldo Nazário, raising alarm about the implications of such content.
To curtail misuse, Meta has employed facial recognition technology in efforts to inhibit scammers from misappropriating celebrity likenesses in advertisements. Additionally, the platform mandates political advertisers to disclose any AI usage in their campaigns, particularly given the potential ramifications deepfakes hold for elections.
Meta is stepping up its fight against so-called “nudify” apps by suing the company behind CrushAI, reflecting a growing concern over non-consensual AI-generated images. As these applications rise, Meta has also taken collaborative efforts with other tech firms to combat this kind of content online. With increasing scrutiny, the broader implications of AI-generated media remain under examination, particularly its potential to mislead and harm individuals.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
