Australia Takes Aim at AI-Powered 'Nudify' Apps in New Regulatory Push

Australia's Crackdown on 'Nudify' Apps

The Australian government has announced a significant move to combat the rising threat of AI-generated nude images and online stalking. Communications Minister Anika Wells revealed plans to ban "nudify" tools and hold tech platforms accountable for failing to prevent users from accessing them 1

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Understanding 'Nudify' Tools

'Nudify' or "undress" tools are AI-powered applications that create realistic but fake sexually explicit images of people. Users can upload a clothed photo, which the AI then analyzes to digitally remove the person's clothing 1

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. The ease of access and realistic output of these tools have led to significant concerns about their misuse.

The Scale of the Problem

The issue of AI-generated nude images has grown rapidly:

• Reports of deepfakes and altered images of minors have more than doubled in the past 18 months 1

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• In the first half of 2024, 16 nudify websites named in a lawsuit were visited over 200 million times 1

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• A July 2025 study found 85 nudify websites averaged 18.million visitors over six months, with some making between US$2.million and $18.million 1

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Current Legal Landscape

The legal situation regarding nudify tools is complex:

• Sharing non-consensual deepfake sexualized images of adults is a criminal offense under most Australian laws 1

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• Creating, accessing, possessing, and soliciting child sexual abuse material (including AI-generated images) is illegal for minors under 18 1

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• However, developing, hosting, and promoting these tools is not currently illegal in Australia 1

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The Government's Approach

The Australian government's strategy involves:

1. Working closely with industry to restrict access to nudify tools 1

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2. Potentially "geoblocking" access to nudify sites or directing platforms to remove access 1

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3. Implementing transparency reporting from platforms on their efforts to address the problem 1

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4. Developing new legislation against "abhorrent technologies" 2

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Tech Companies' Current Actions

Some tech companies have already taken steps:

• Discord and Apple have removed nudify apps and associated developer accounts 1

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• Meta bans adult content, including AI-generated nudes, and has filed a lawsuit against a Hong Kong nudify company 1

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Challenges and Future Steps

While the government's approach is a step forward, challenges remain:

• Users can bypass geographic restrictions using VPNs or proxy servers 1

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• Open-source AI models can be fine-tuned to create new nudify tools 1

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• Education must be a key focus alongside regulatory efforts 1

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The government aims to ensure that legitimate and consent-based AI and online tracking services are not inadvertently impacted by the new legislation 2

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. As Australia continues to lead global efforts in curbing internet harm, the effectiveness of these measures will be closely watched by other nations grappling with similar challenges.