Spain Considers TikTok Suspension Over Child Abuse Material Allegations

(MENAFN) Spain's Ministry of Youth and Children has called for a prosecutorial investigation into the circulation of child sexual abuse material on TikTok, while also considering the possibility of suspending the platform nationwide, according to reports.

In a formal request submitted to the attorney general's office, the ministry urged authorities to take action to strengthen child protection following an investigation by a Spanish nonprofit organization that uncovered extensive amounts of abusive material on the social media platform.

The ministry also raised the possibility of blocking TikTok's operations across Spain “if deemed appropriate,” according to information attributed to ministry sources.

The investigation identified 1,182 publicly accessible posts containing explicit child sexual abuse material over a period of 35 days. These posts accumulated approximately 48 million views, while the platform's search and recommendation features reportedly enabled researchers to locate the content.

The findings also revealed various methods used by individuals to promote and distribute the material. Some accounts reportedly relied on emojis or pixelation to conceal portions of explicit images while advertising complete videos for purchase. Others published graphic content openly, including through their profile pictures.

Researchers additionally discovered ordinary photographs of children being used to attract users toward online channels where abusive material was reportedly traded, purchased or exchanged.

“What is clear is that content we once associated with the darkest corners of the internet is now in plain sight,” the organization wrote.

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