Lorraine Williamson
Spain is considering whether TikTok should be suspended after an investigation uncovered widespread circulation of child sexual abuse material on the social media platform. The Ministry of Youth and Childhood has referred the findings to prosecutors and requested an urgent meeting with TikTok’s representatives, raising serious questions about the company’s ability to protect children.
The intervention follows an investigation published on Monday 9 November by Spanish fact-checking organisation Maldita.es, which identified 1,183 videos containing alleged child sexual abuse material and more than 26,000 accounts potentially associated with people seeking or sharing such content. Researchers found that the videos had accumulated more than 48 million views, despite TikTok’s rules prohibiting sexual exploitation of children.
The findings have prompted calls for urgent action from Spain’s government, although no decision has been taken to block the platform. The Ministry of Youth and Childhood has asked the Public Prosecutor’s Office to examine the evidence and consider measures to protect children and adolescents who may be affected.
What did the investigation uncover?
The investigation by Maldita.es examined how accounts allegedly involved in child sexual exploitation were using TikTok to distribute material, attract followers and direct users towards other messaging services. Researchers identified thousands of profiles interacting with the content, including at least 7,700 operating in Spanish.
The investigation also identified accounts allegedly using TikTok to find buyers for illegal material, with some directing users towards messaging platforms where further exchanges could take place. This raises concerns that mainstream social media services may be used not only to circulate harmful material but also to facilitate access to networks operating elsewhere online.
Maldita.es reported that some of the material remained accessible for months, despite apparently breaching TikTok’s own policies. Its findings suggest that users were able to exploit weaknesses in content moderation and automated detection systems to keep accounts and videos active.
The organisation had previously investigated the circulation of child sexual abuse material on TikTok, making the latest findings part of a wider examination of the platform’s response. Its researchers have also submitted evidence to Spanish prosecutors.
Spain asks prosecutors to intervene
Minister Sira Rego confirmed the government’s intervention in a public statement on 9 November, describing the findings as extremely serious. She said her department had asked prosecutors to investigate and requested an urgent meeting with TikTok’s representatives in Spain to discuss the platform’s response and safeguarding measures.
The statement is reproduced in Maldita.es’s report on the government’s intervention, alongside a response from Secretary of State Rubén Pérez Correa, who also called for the company to explain its actions.
According to EFE’s report on the government’s response, the ministry has also raised the possibility of suspending TikTok’s services in Spain if such action is considered appropriate. This remains a proposal for consideration rather than a decision to shut down the platform.
Rego has requested an urgent meeting with TikTok’s representatives in Spain to seek explanations about the findings and the company’s safeguarding procedures. The government is particularly concerned about whether the platform has effective systems to prevent illegal material from circulating and being recommended to other users.
The ministry’s response also raises the prospect of coordination with European authorities, given that TikTok operates across national borders. Any substantial restrictions on the platform would involve significant legal and regulatory questions, including the powers available to Spanish and European institutions.
TikTok disputes criticism of its response
TikTok has defended its safeguarding procedures and called on Maldita.es to share the complete findings of its investigation. In a statement provided to Spanish news agency EFE, company representatives said that withholding the full evidence was preventing them from locating and removing the material and making it harder to report suspected offences to law enforcement.
The company maintains that child sexual abuse material is strictly prohibited on its platform and says it uses advanced detection technology to identify and remove offending content. TikTok also argues that cooperation between researchers, technology companies and authorities is essential because offenders continually develop ways to evade detection.
Maldita.es has rejected TikTok’s suggestion that it obstructed efforts to remove the material. In a response published on Tuesday 10 November, the organisation said it had reported examples through the platform’s official reporting system but would not distribute illegal material or links through private email channels.
The investigators also said they had previously provided TikTok with a complete database from an earlier investigation. Maldita.es maintains that its findings raise serious questions about the effectiveness of the platform’s existing safeguards, particularly where potentially illegal content remains accessible despite being reported.
The disagreement highlights an important distinction between a platform’s stated safety policies and how consistently those policies are enforced. It also raises questions about whether the company can identify potentially illegal material without relying on outside investigators to bring individual cases to its attention.
Wider concerns over children’s online safety
The findings come amid growing scrutiny of social media companies and their responsibilities towards younger users. Across Europe, regulators have increasingly focused on whether major platforms do enough to identify illegal content, protect minors and prevent recommendation systems from exposing users to harmful material.
The European Union’s Digital Services Act requires large online platforms to assess and address systemic risks, including those affecting children. It also provides a framework for regulatory oversight and enforcement, although any action against TikTok would need to follow the relevant legal procedures.
The Spanish investigation has brought renewed attention to the difficulties of policing enormous volumes of user-generated content. Researchers warn that material can circulate rapidly between accounts and platforms, making detection and removal especially challenging when offenders deliberately attempt to evade moderation.
For parents and carers, the case is a reminder that safety settings and platform rules cannot guarantee that harmful material will never appear online. Concerns about suspected child sexual abuse material should be reported through appropriate official channels rather than shared, downloaded or circulated further.
What happens to TikTok in Spain now?
The immediate next step is for prosecutors to consider the information submitted by the ministry and Maldita.es. The government is also seeking explanations from TikTok, including what action the company has taken and whether further safeguards are required.
There has been no announcement of a suspension, and TikTok remains available in Spain. Whether the investigation leads to legal proceedings, regulatory intervention or changes to the platform’s safety systems will depend on the evidence and decisions of the relevant authorities.
The case has nevertheless placed TikTok’s child protection arrangements under renewed scrutiny. With more than 1,000 videos identified by investigators and millions of recorded views, the central question is whether existing safeguards are sufficient to prevent the circulation of child sexual abuse material on one of the world’s most widely used social media platforms.