YouTube and X have come under fire for allegedly promoting nudity. These platforms are accused of directing users to websites that enable the creation of explicit images. A study has revealed this information.
YouTube and X are facing allegations of promoting nudity and directing users to dubious tools. Reports indicate that these platforms are driving millions of users to websites offering AI-powered “nudify” tools—tools capable of transforming any photograph into a fully nude image. A new study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) reveals that, over a four-month period, these platforms directed millions of users to services that facilitate the creation of non-consensual explicit imagery. This has raised concerns about how popular social media platforms are enabling access to deepfake tools, despite having policies in place to prohibit them.
YouTube: The Largest Source; X: Second
The ISD study examined the ten most frequently used apps and websites for creating non-consensual deepfakes and analyzed how users reached them. It found that between December 2025 and March 2026, social media platforms generated over 5.7 million visits to “nudify” websites (sites that create nude images by digitally removing clothing from photos). YouTube was the primary source, accounting for 1.82 million visits (more than 30% of total referrals), while X followed as the second-largest source with over 1.3 million visits.
According to the report, users searching for terms like “undress app” and “nudify app” were shown videos reviewing and promoting these tools. Some videos included links to the apps and promo codes for free credits, making it easier for users to access and utilize these services.
Platforms Violating Their Own Rules
Researchers state that these findings appear to be in “direct contradiction” to YouTube’s own policies prohibiting sexually explicit content. They argue that these rules should also apply to websites and tools that generate non-consensual intimate imagery. However, such content was easily accessible, effectively turning the platform into a gateway to websites that generate nude images.
Melanie Smith, Senior Director of Policy and Research for Information Operations at ISD UK, told Wired, “It wasn’t just that YouTube was a passive source of information; in many instances, it was actively facilitating the use of these tools.”
Smith added that YouTube’s policies prohibit links to or advertisements for websites featuring sexually explicit content. In principle, this should encompass services that generate non-consensual intimate images or videos; however, it appears these rules are not consistently enforced.
Meanwhile, in a statement to Wired, YouTube spokesperson Boot Bullwinkle said the company has “strict policies prohibiting content that depicts sexual acts without consent, such as private images shared without permission.” He added that these policies apply to both on-platform content and external links, and cover “manipulated or synthetic content that depicts realistic nudity.”
Beyond traffic, the ISD study examined the accessibility and utility of these AI tools. It found that some apps allow users to generate explicitly pornographic images at a very low cost—as little as $1 per image. The study also revealed that while current and former girlfriends are the most common targets, some users also target female relatives, such as sisters and cousins.
Many do this out of a desire for revenge.
According to Smith, the motivation behind using these tools is often not sexual in nature. He stated that the aim of many of these requests was to get people fired and to harm their livelihoods and lives through “malicious means.” This further highlights that deepfake technology is increasingly being used not just to create explicit images, but also to harass, intimidate, and tarnish people’s reputations.
