Meta sues AI-powered 'nudify' app

Published: Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 4:25 pm

Meta Sues Company Over AI-Powered "Nudify" App Ads

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has filed a lawsuit against Joy Timeline HK Ltd., the developer of the "CrushAI" app. The lawsuit alleges that Joy Timeline ran thousands of advertisements on Meta's platforms to promote the app, which generates fake and non-consensual sexually explicit images of individuals.

Meta's legal action follows repeated attempts by Joy Timeline to circumvent the company's advertising review process. The developer's ads were repeatedly removed for violating Meta's policies. The lawsuit also comes after a letter from Senator Dick Durbin, urging Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to address the issue of ads promoting the app. Durbin cited a report that found over 8,000 CrushAI-related ads ran on Meta's platforms in early January.

Meta updated its policies regarding non-consensual intimate imagery over a year ago, explicitly prohibiting the promotion of "nudify" apps. The company stated it removes ads, Facebook Pages, and Instagram accounts promoting these services when discovered, and blocks links to related websites. Meta also restricts search terms like "nudify" and "undress" on its platforms.

The issue extends beyond Meta and CrushAI. Investigations have revealed a broader network of similar platforms, including Clothoff, Nudify, Undress, and DrawNudes. These platforms have reportedly attempted to manipulate financial and online service providers to evade crackdowns. For example, accounts on a major online video game marketplace were used to collect payments for Clothoff, disguising the sales as downloadable gaming content. The network has also targeted payment services and marketplaces, including Coinbase, Patreon, PayPal, Shopify, Steam, and Stripe.

BNN's Perspective: This lawsuit highlights the ongoing challenge of policing harmful content on social media platforms. While Meta is taking action, the scale and sophistication of these operations suggest that a multi-faceted approach, involving platform accountability, regulatory oversight, and user education, is necessary to effectively combat the spread of non-consensual intimate imagery.

Keywords: Meta, lawsuit, CrushAI, nudify app, AI, non-consensual imagery, advertising, Facebook, Instagram, Joy Timeline, online safety, content moderation, platform accountability, Senator Dick Durbin

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