Wired investigation finds more than 400 linked apps and sites that disguised explicit deepfake generators as everyday tools

What happened

WIRED reported that it found a network of more than 400 connected apps and web domains that present themselves as ordinary services, such as language lessons, AI workout coaches or a pet photo app called Viefur. Under certain conditions, the apps quietly load a hidden web interface that lets users upload photos of people and generate sexually explicit AI images and videos. WIRED described the content as sexually abusive deepfakes, including scenes depicting violence against women.

Multiple researchers found the network by following links from thousands of video ads with explicit deepfake content that ran on Meta's Facebook and Instagram. WIRED has previously reported that hundreds of those ads contained AI-generated child sexual abuse material, including images of real children. Those ads reached tens of thousands of people.

How the apps slipped past review

A server decides what each user sees

Paul Bouchaud, a lead researcher at the nonprofit AI Forensics who reverse engineered the apps' code, told WIRED that each download sends the server details such as where the user is coming from, their language and a unique identifier. The server then decides whether to show the explicit or non-explicit version. Bouchaud said there is no clear list of triggers, but one appears to be downloading an app after clicking a related ad on Meta's platforms.

Websites that look empty

According to WIRED, the apps' websites typically show a black screen, with the only visible change being a URL that updates to include the word "risk." Those sites host the hidden layer, which offers dozens of explicit templates and sells "diamonds" used to generate content. The ads linked to apps in Apple and Google's stores, where users could pay through Apple Pay and Google Pay, WIRED reported.

Scale of the network

Maël Le Touz, a staff threat researcher at security firm Infoblox, identified almost 500 linked domains that run the same code and reference one another. A review of domain registration dates cited by WIRED found the apps began appearing toward the end of 2025 and spiked this spring, with around 30 apps and websites registered each week at one point. In September, 27 were live on Google's Play Store with more than 350,000 combined downloads, and many were rated suitable for all age groups.

One of the most popular, DiffAI, was created in December 2025 and downloaded more than 100,000 times from the Play Store, WIRED reported. A user review on the store said the app performed no age verification.

Who appears to be behind it

WIRED said the apps and domains appear to be run by Chinese developers and a Hong Kong registered entity called KeLing Technology Limited, based on a review of web domains and how the services operate. Le Touz said the operation uses exclusively Chinese hosting and code written and commented in Chinese. KeLing's name was listed as the contact on the first website registered in the network, and Bouchaud identified an administration login page tied to the explicit interface that mentions "Keling."

Email addresses linked to KeLing did not respond to WIRED's requests for comment. After WIRED reached out, someone renamed related social media channels and removed KeLing contact details from websites tied to the network, including one for an AI model called Veyra. "They don't expect enforcement to catch up, and so far it hasn't," Bouchaud told WIRED.

How Apple, Google and Meta responded

Apple removed 19 apps, including Viefur, after WIRED asked about the activity and shared associated domains. Apple spokesperson Adam Dema told WIRED the apps "complied with our rules when we reviewed them," and that developers later swapped the approved content for pornographic material. Apple said it has suspended tens of thousands of apps for these "bait-and-switch" tactics over the last year.

Google did not respond to WIRED's request for comment, but it had removed most of the apps, including DiffAI, before WIRED contacted the company. WIRED noted that Google, Apple and Meta all say they enforce policies barring harmful deepfake content on their platforms. Danish journalists reported on parts of the network in September. More coverage of these issues is in our AI and tech section.

What to watch next

• Investigations by regulators around the world, which WIRED said were prompted by the explicit deepfake ads on Meta's platforms.
• Whether similar ads and apps keep appearing, after WIRED reported they were still being published as it finished its reporting.
• Apple's recently updated App Store rules that further restrict "nudify" tools.
• Any response from KeLing Technology Limited, which did not answer WIRED's requests for comment.