Fake Sexual Image Network Uncovered: 27 Apps Downloaded 350,000 Times

    A hidden deepfake network consisting of more than 400 interconnected domains and apps posing as ordinary services has been uncovered. “Deepfake” refers to fake images and videos created using artificial intelligence. One app in the network, Viefur, presents itself as an AI app that creates pet portraits. The app sells 130 digital coins for $4 (about 7 AZN). However, under certain conditions, a hidden section opens that creates fake images depicting sexual violence from photos uploaded by users. The same method was also used in other apps distributed under the guise of language-learning and coaching services.    When the apps were opened, special code was sent to a server to help identify the user’s country, language and device. The server’s response determined which section would open: ordinary content or hidden sexual content. It is believed that clicking on a Meta ad and downloading the app was one of the factors that caused the hidden section to open. Dozens of photo and video templates, including scenes of violence, were found in the code of related websites. The payment system and information relating to the entire network were also stored there.    Thousands of ads featuring sexually explicit videos were distributed on Facebook and Instagram. Some ads also contained AI-generated child sexual exploitation material based on photos of real children. Those ads reached tens of thousands of people. The links directed users to deceptive apps in the Apple and Google stores, with payments accepted through Apple Pay and Google Pay. The network’s first apps began appearing at the end of 2025, and their number increased rapidly in the spring of 2026.    For a period, about 30 new websites and apps were registered each week. In September, 27 such apps were still active in the Google Play store. They had been downloaded a total of 350,000 times, and most were listed as suitable for all ages. DiffAI, created in December 2025, had been downloaded more than 100,000 times. One user review said the app contained templates for child sexual exploitation material. It also noted that no age verification was conducted.    Before questions about the network were sent to Google, the company removed most of the apps, including DiffAI, from its store. After investigating the issue, Apple removed 19 apps, including Viefur, from the App Store. According to the company, content that the apps fetched from the internet and that appeared to comply with the rules during review was later replaced with pornographic material. Apple said it had blocked tens of thousands of apps using this deceptive method over the last 1 year and had tightened its rules.    The domains and the way the services operated indicated that the network may be linked to Hong Kong-registered KeLing Technology Limited and Chinese developers. Chinese was used in the code and comments. Icons from Chinese-language editing software also appeared in the advertising videos. To conceal their connections, the apps used identical privacy policies, free Gmail and Outlook addresses, and fake payer names. After inquiries were sent, public links between KeLing and some services, including Veyra AI, were removed.    Meta said it had banned KeLing Technology Limited from advertising in 2025. More than 3,000 ads linked to domains provided to the company for investigation were identified. About 2/3 of them had already been removed. During subsequent actions, 11,600 advertising accounts and 4,700 business pages were reviewed. Action was also taken against 5,200 users, and 15,000 pages were covered. Advertising for a total of 209 apps was blocked. Despite all this, similar ads and apps continued to spread across the platforms as the investigation concluded.