Politics · Spain · 9 hrs ago
Spain considers suspending TikTok over child sexual abuse material
Spain’s youth and children ministry has asked prosecutors to act after an investigation found child sexual abuse material on TikTok.
The investigation identified more than 1,000 videos and more than 20,000 profiles suspected of sharing or selling such material.
It said the videos had been viewed more than 48 million times, and that more than 7,000 of the profiles operated in Spanish.
The ministry says TikTok’s systems failed to stop the material spreading and has raised the possibility of suspending the platform’s services in Spain.
Minister Sira Rego has requested an urgent meeting with TikTok to hear what protections it has put in place and plans to adopt.
TikTok says sexual content involving minors is banned and that it uses detection systems to remove it, while also saying offenders keep changing tactics to evade detection.
The ministry is seeking action to protect affected children and calls for a coordinated response from authorities in Spain and across Europe.
Spain’s Ministry of Youth and Children has asked the prosecutor’s office to take measures after an investigation found child sexual abuse material on TikTok.
The ministry is considering suspending TikTok’s services in Spain if that is deemed necessary.
The investigation by Maldita.es reported finding 1,182 videos and more than 20,000 profiles suspected of exchanging or selling such material.
The ministry said TikTok had serious shortcomings in detecting and moderating content and in how its recommendation systems could spread it.
TikTok said child sexual content is prohibited and that it uses detection technology, while saying people who post it continually change their methods.
- Who
- Spain’s Ministry of Youth and Children, led by Sira Rego, has asked the prosecutor’s office to act. TikTok and Maldita.es are also involved.
- What
- Spain is considering suspending TikTok’s services while authorities investigate reports of child sexual abuse material on the platform.
- When
- The reports and government response were published on November 9, 2026. Maldita.es collected videos from September 11 to October 15, 2026.
- Where
- Spain; the reported material and accounts were found on TikTok, including activity in several countries.
- Why
- Maldita.es reported finding videos and profiles linked to child sexual abuse material. The ministry says the findings raise concerns about TikTok’s detection, moderation and recommendation systems.
Spanish Ministry of Youth and Children
TikTok
Content moderation
Spanish Ministry of Youth and Children
The ministry says the findings show serious shortcomings in detecting and moderating the material.
TikTok
TikTok says sexually explicit content involving minors is categorically prohibited and that it uses detection technology and enforcement measures.
Platform responsibility
Spanish Ministry of Youth and Children
The ministry says the platform’s recommendation systems may help spread the material and that this could violate children’s rights.
TikTok
TikTok says people who post such material continually change their methods to evade detection.
Investigation sharing
Spanish Ministry of Youth and Children
The ministry has asked for action to protect affected children and requested an urgent meeting with TikTok.
TikTok
TikTok says Maldita.es has refused to share its investigation, hindering efforts to locate and remove the material and report it to law enforcement.
Maldita.es collected videos and examined profiles, comments and live streams on TikTok.
Maldita.es reported that 59% of accounts that had shared related content remained active.
Maldita.es published its investigation, and Spain’s Ministry of Youth and Children asked the prosecutor’s office to take measures and sought an urgent meeting with TikTok.
- Videos identified
- 1,182, according to Maldita.es
- Video views
- About 48 million across the identified videos
- Profiles identified
- More than 20,000 suspected profiles; more than 7,000 were Spanish-speaking
- Sample reported to TikTok
- 50 videos, with 8.8 million views and more than 148,000 likes, according to 20minutos
- Removal from reported sample
- TikTok removed five of the 50 videos, or 10%, according to El Confidencial
- Live streams documented
- 91 involving minors in 17 countries, according to El Confidencial
5 sources
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Spanien erwägt vorübergehende TikTok-Sperrung wegen Missbrauchsvideos
El Gobierno pide a la Fiscalía cerrar Tiktok para investigar presuntos casos de abuso sexual infantil en la plataforma
El Gobierno se plantea paralizar los servicios de TikTok en España por permitir vídeos de abuso sexual infantil
What people are saying
with an urgent nature
the documented facts are of extreme seriousness and require an immediate and coordinated response from all competent administrations, both nationally and at the European level
Keeping TikTok a safe place for our community is our top priority
malicious actors continually evolve their methods to evade detection