Meta sues Hong Kong firm over AI app making non-consensual explicit images

Meta Platforms is taking a Hong Kong company to court for allegedly using its social media accounts to promote an app that uses artificial intelligence to generate sexually explicit images of people without their consent.

The American multinational technology company said on Thursday in a post published on its website that it had filed a lawsuit in Hong Kong against Joy Timeline HK Limited to prevent the latter from advertising CrushAI apps on Meta’s platforms.

The app in question allows people to use AI software to create nude or sexually explicit images of people without their consent, the company said.

Meta alleged that the Hong Kong company had repeatedly tried to circumvent the tech giant’s ad review processes and continued to show content promoting the app after it was removed for breaking Meta’s rules.

The techniques allegedly used in attempts to get past review procedures included disguising the adverts’ content or their landing page, according to Meta.

The lawsuit is part of Meta’s efforts to crack down on “nudify” apps.