Dutch regulators, prosecutors demand more EU action against “nudify” apps

Supervisory authorities, police, and the Public Prosecution Service (OM) say the EU’s ban on "nudify" apps falls short. The European Parliament recently approved a ban on apps that create nude images without consent, but these organizations are calling for a full prohibition of the tools.

Monique Verdier, vice-chair of the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP), supports the EU’s proposed ban but stresses that the tools must be completely prohibited. “Even if the depicted person has consented, the ban is necessary. Without a full prohibition, it contributes little to the current insufficient regulations,” she said.

It is still unclear what the ban will specifically entail. EU member states and the European Parliament must first reach an agreement on its wording.

The warning is also supported by the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM), the Authority for Online Terrorist and Child Pornographic Material (ATKM), and the Netherlands Media Authority.

These organizations are alarmed by the swift proliferation of AI “deepfake” apps due to the harm they cause victims. Such images are frequently used to blackmail individuals or force them to produce sexual content of themselves. “Tools that let you generate AI fake nudes of someone are extremely harmful,” said ACM board member Manon Leijten.

Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok sparked controversy with its “undress” feature. An Amsterdam court banned the feature in the Netherlands last week after the Victim Support Fund and the Offlimits expertise center called for its removal.