Spain considers TikTok suspension after investigation finds thousands of pedophile profiles

Spanish authorities are considering a potential suspension of TikTok following an investigation into child sexual abuse content on the social media platform, Diari ARA and Euronews both report. Euronews reported that an investigation by the foundation Maldita.es detected more than 20,000 profiles of potential pedophiles on TikTok, including more than 7,000 profiles operating in Spanish. [1][2]

According to Euronews, the 35-day tracking effort took place between 11 September and 15 October. The foundation uncovered more than 1,000 child sexual abuse videos on the platform during that timeframe, which accumulated approximately 48 million total views. [1]

Following the publication of the findings, the Ministry of Youth and Children demanded urgent explanations from TikTok, Euronews reported. The ministry raised the possibility of suspending the platform in Spain and asked the Prosecutor's Office to take action after the results were made public on Monday. [1][2]

TikTok has previously faced scrutiny from multiple governments over national security risks and mental health concerns related to its design mechanics. Globally, numerous jurisdictions have introduced or enacted laws since 2023 requiring age verification for social networks and digital services to protect young users from illegal and harmful content online. [4][5]