Spain: Spain has instructed prosecutors to examine social media companies X, Meta and TikTok over allegations that AI-generated child sexual abuse material has been circulating on their platforms. The Spain government has taken the step as part of a broader effort to curb online abuse and strengthen safeguards for children in digital spaces.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has raised concerns about the impact of such content on minors and has emphasised the need for accountability among large technology firms. Sanchez said that, these platforms have been undermining the mental health, dignity and rights of children, adding that the state cannot allow impunity for major technology companies.
Spain has also announced additional measures earlier in February aimed at protecting young users online. Among the proposals has been a plan to restrict access to social media platforms for individuals under the age of 16. The initiative has formed part of a wider national strategy to address online abuse and regulate emerging AI technologies.
Hoy, el Consejo de Ministros invocará el artículo 8 del Estatuto Orgánico del Ministerio Fiscal para pedirle que investigue los delitos que X, Meta y TikTok podrían estar cometiendo por la creación y difusión de pornografía infantil mediante sus IA.
Estas plataformas están…
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) February 17, 2026
Authorities in other countries have also begun examining similar concerns, particularly regarding sexually explicit material generated by the Grok chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI and distributed through X. Governments in multiple jurisdictions have launched investigations, imposed bans or demanded safeguards as part of a global effort to limit the spread of illegal AI-generated material.
European scrutiny of digital platforms has intensified further, with French police carrying out searches at X offices on the same day and prosecutors seeking to question leadership in a broader inquiry. In November, Spain’s parliament has also moved to investigate Meta over potential privacy breaches affecting users of Facebook and Instagram.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has opened a formal investigation into Grok over how personal data has been processed and the potential creation of harmful sexualised images and videos, including those involving minors. Spain has positioned the current probe as part of an expanding international push to ensure stronger protections and accountability across digital platforms.
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