Apple revises App Review rules targeting nudify and bait-and-switch apps

The short version

• Apple updated its App Review Guidelines on October 16, 2026, to address AI nudify apps and bait-and-switch apps that evade review.[9to5Mac]
• The changes add rules on user-generated content and hidden features, and say apps facilitating trafficking or child exploitation will be removed.[9to5Mac]
• The update follows January and April Tech Transparency Project findings of nudify apps on the App Store, and a July San Francisco order whose scope reports describe differently.[TechCrunch · 9to5Mac]

Key facts

• Apple updated its App Review Guidelines on October 16, 2026, to address AI-powered nudify apps and bait-and-switch apps.[9to5Mac]
• The Tech Transparency Project identified dozens of AI-powered nudify apps on the App Store in January 2026.[9to5Mac]
• The new Section 2.5.19 bans hidden, dormant, or undocumented features in apps.[9to5Mac]
• Under Section 5, Apple says apps facilitating human trafficking or child exploitation will be removed and blocked from alternative distribution.[9to5Mac]
• Apple says it will remove apps that add features not present in the version submitted for App Store review.[TechCrunch]
• Apple said last year its review process blocked over 150,000 apps and removed 193,000 developer accounts over fraud and abuse.[TechCrunch]
• Apple later confirmed it had privately warned xAI that Grok could be removed unless the company addressed nonconsensual sexualized imagery.[9to5Mac]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Apple’s new App Store rules crack down on AI nudification and ‘bait-and-switch’ apps9to5Mac
• Apple updates guidelines to ban nudify apps masquerading as regular apps to pass reviewTechCrunch