11.11.2026 08:00
The Spanish government called for TikTok's operations in the country to be temporarily suspended after 1,183 obscene posts, including child abuse content, were detected. As it emerged that the videos in question were viewed at least 48 million times, the government stated that the platform should not operate until the content is completely removed. The matter was referred to the prosecutor's office and the Data Protection Agency.
In Spain, child abuse content spreading on TikTok prompted the government to act. The Ministry of Youth and Children requested the suspension of TikTok's activities in the country after 1,183 obscene posts were identified on the platform. The government's call covers a temporary suspension until the content in question is completely removed. However, this request does not mean the platform has been shut down in Spain.
VIEWED 48 MILLION TIMES
According to research by the Spanish fact-checking organization Maldita.es, videos containing child abuse reached at least 48 million views on TikTok. The research stated that more than 26,000 accounts interacted with the content through comments or shares. The findings launched a new debate on the protection of children and content moderation by digital platforms.
TIKTOK RESTRICTED TWO SEARCH TERMS
After the research was published, TikTok restricted two search terms used to access the content for users in Spain. However, it was reported that searches using the same terms continued to provide access to content from other European countries. This increased questions about the adequacy of the measures taken.
GOVERNMENT APPLIED TO PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
Minister of Youth and Children Sira Rego announced that they applied to the prosecutor's office and the Spanish Data Protection Agency to take action against TikTok. Rego emphasized that social media cannot be a lawless space and that digital platforms are obliged to ensure children's safety.
X, META AND TIKTOK WERE ALSO TARGETED BEFORE
The government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had previously requested an investigation into X, Meta and TikTok due to the spread of AI-generated child abuse content. With the latest development, the Spanish administration took its demands for the protection of children in the online environment even further.
CONCRETE STEP DEMANDED FROM TIKTOK
In its meeting with TikTok representatives, the Spanish Ministry of Youth and Children requested not only the removal of the content but also verifiable documentation of it. The ministry requested an explanation for why only 5 of the 50 videos reported by Maldita.es through official channels were removed. TikTok was also asked to improve its content moderation system and present a plan to prevent recurrence.
TikTok, in turn, requested that all findings of the research be shared with it, arguing that lack of access to this information makes it difficult to identify and remove the content. The company reported that it continues its cooperation with authorities.
WHO WILL DECIDE ON THE SUSPENSION OF ACTIVITIES?
The Spanish government's request has not yet turned into a closure decision. The Spanish Data Protection Agency, to which the ministry applied, can evaluate urgent and temporary measures under Article 66 of the European Union General Data Protection Regulation. If such a decision is taken, the measure is expected to apply only in Spain and to last for a maximum of three months.