An official report shows some mainstream social media platforms are still generating millions of referrals to nudify/deepfake-promotion websites.
A recent study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue has found that major social media platforms, particularly YouTube and X, are playing a significant role in directing users to websites that generate nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake images.
The report highlights how these mainstream platforms are not merely hosting isolated content, but are actively contributing to the discoverability and use of such tools, raising concerns about gaps in enforcement of existing moderation policies.
Researchers had recorded more than 5.7m visits between December 2025 and March 2026, to so-called “nudify” websites originating from social media referrals:
- YouTube accounted for the largest share, driving approximately 1.82m visits, or just over 30% of the total.
- X accounted for more than 1.3m referrals.
- In many cases, YouTube videos promoting these tools functioned as tutorials or product reviews, often including direct links and promotional codes that lowered the barrier to entry for new users.
According to ISD’s Melanie Smith, this behavior suggests that the platform is not simply a passive intermediary but, in some instances, actively enabling access despite policies that prohibit linking to sexually explicit services.
The report also underscores how inexpensive and accessible these tools have become. Users can generate explicit images for as little as one dollar per output, making the technology widely attainable.
Highly illegal, but highly profitable
Despite the low cost per use, the overall market is highly profitable. A separate investigation by Wired has estimated that the leading nudify platforms collectively generate up to US$36m annually. The harms associated with these tools extend beyond sexual exploitation. Targets frequently include current or former partners and even family members, and motivations often involve harassment, reputational damage, or attempts to jeopardize employment.
These findings emerge at a time when lawmakers and regulators are beginning to respond to the proliferation of nonconsensual deepfake content. The US Take It Down Act, enacted in 2025, mandates that platforms remove such material within 48 hours of notification. In addition, a coalition of 54 civil society organizations has urged state attorneys general to pursue action against companies operating nudification services, while Minnesota has introduced a statewide ban on such applications.
Even with these measures in place, the ISD report argues that current responses are insufficient to address the scale of the issue. It calls for stronger regulatory oversight of platforms, improved enforcement of existing rules, and broader educational initiatives aimed at increasing digital literacy.
Earlier reporting by Wired and Indicator further illustrates the scope of the problem, documenting cases of deepfake abuse in around 90 schools across 28 countries. Researchers also identified coordinated networks of accounts on X that continued to promote these tools as recently as June 2026, indicating that enforcement efforts have yet to keep pace with the spread of the technology.
