Spain probes X, Meta, and TikTok over AI-generated child abuse content
Spain has ordered prosecutors to launch a wide-ranging Spain AI child abuse probe into major social media companies over the alleged spread of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, as European regulators intensify pressure on big tech firms.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the investigation, which will focus on platforms operated by X, Meta, and TikTok. The move comes as authorities across Europe step up efforts to combat harmful and illegal online content.
The government orders an investigation
According to officials, the probe is based on a technical assessment prepared by three government ministries. The review raised concerns that platform algorithms may be amplifying or hosting AI-generated child abuse material.
Government spokesperson Elma Saiz said authorities could not allow digital systems to “amplify or shelter” such crimes, warning that children’s safety, privacy, and dignity were at risk.
The companies named in the probe did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Wider European scrutiny
The Spain AI child abuse probe is part of a broader crackdown on large tech firms. Regulators across Europe have accused social media platforms of engaging in a range of harmful practices, including anti-competitive behavior in digital advertising and the design of features that are addictive.
In a separate development, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission opened a formal investigation into the xAI chatbot Grok, linked to X, over how it processes personal data and whether it could generate sexualised or harmful images, including those involving minors. Ireland acts as the lead EU regulator for X because the company’s European operations are based there.
Rising concerns over AI abuse
Spanish authorities cited data suggesting the scale of the issue is growing rapidly. According to the rights group Save the Children, about one in five young people in Spain—mostly girls—said fake nude images of themselves were created using AI and shared online while they were still minors.
In a statement, Sánchez said social media platforms were undermining the mental health and rights of children and warned that “the impunity of these giants must end.”
He added that the Justice Ministry would ask prosecutors to investigate possible crimes linked to the creation and distribution of child pornography using AI tools.
Global push for stricter controls
Spain’s actions mirror a wider international effort to regulate social media and AI-driven content. The European Commission is already investigating Meta, TikTok, and Grok under the EU’s Digital Services Act, while France, Brazil, and Canada have filed complaints over the distribution of illegal material.
Earlier this month, Sánchez proposed new measures to protect minors online, including a potential ban on social media use for children under 16.
Meanwhile, reports from the Internet Watch Foundation show a sharp increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse videos, highlighting the growing challenge regulators face as AI technology becomes more accessible.
