Spain is considering temporarily suspending TikTok’s operations in the country after an independent investigation uncovered thousands of accounts suspected of sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the platform.
Spanish authorities have asked the country’s data protection agency to examine the possibility of suspending the social media service. The request follows findings that more than 1,000 videos containing child sexual abuse material had attracted around 48 million views.
The investigation was conducted by Spanish fact-checking organisation Maldita.es, which monitored TikTok for 35 days during September and October.
Researchers identified more than 20,000 profiles suspected of links to paedophilia, including approximately 7,000 accounts based in Spain.
The investigation also questioned TikTok’s response to reports of abusive content. Researchers said several accounts and videos remained accessible long after users had flagged them to the platform.
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Following the findings, Spain’s Ministry of Youth and Children, led by Minister Sira Rego, formally asked state prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into TikTok.
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The government is also examining the possibility of temporarily suspending the platform’s services in Spain, citing concerns over child protection and online safety.
Rego said she had urged TikTok to voluntarily suspend its services and requested an urgent meeting with the company’s leadership to discuss the findings.
The proposed measures come amid growing scrutiny of social media companies over their responsibility to prevent the circulation of child sexual abuse material and protect young users online.
