Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has reportedly ordered prosecutors to investigate social media companies X (formerly Twitter), Meta and TikTok over the alleged spread of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The announcement comes at a time when other European countries, including France, and others such as the UK, are already investigating Elon Musk-owned xAI on similar issue.
According to a report by news agency Reuters, Sanchez announced the probe at a government summit, saying the Justice Ministry will ask prosecutors to look into “crimes” of X, Meta, and TikTok.
“Today, the Council of Ministers will invoke Article 8 of the Organic Statute of the Public Prosecution Service to request that it investigate the crimes that X, Meta and TikTok may be committing through the creation and dissemination of child pornography by means of their AI,” Sanchez wrote on X.
“These platforms are attacking the mental health, dignity and rights of our sons and daughters. The State cannot allow it. The impunity of the giants must end,” Sanchez added.
What triggered the announcement
The report said that the move was triggered, in part, by a striking statistic: one in five young people in Spain – mostly girls – report that fake nude images of themselves were created by AI and shared online while they were still minors, according to rights group Save the Children. Government spokesperson Elma Saiz echoed the PM’s sentiment, saying authorities “cannot allow algorithms to amplify or shelter” such crimes, according to Reuters.
Notably, the investigation is the first measure from a wider package of social media regulations Sanchez unveiled in Dubai earlier this month. It is based on a technical report prepared by three government ministries. Two weeks ago, he also proposed banning social media access for children under 16.
Spain not the only country probing social media platforms
Spain is not alone. Across Europe and beyond, governments are ‘tightening the screws’ on tech platforms over illegal content and other concerns. Earlier in the day, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission opened a separate investigation into X’s AI chatbot Grok over its potential to generate harmful sexualised images, including of children.
The European Commission is also probing Meta, TikTok and Grok under the EU’s Digital Services Act, while France, Brazil and Canada have filed complaints against Grok over illegal content. Earlier this month, French police raided X’s offices in Paris, and prosecutors summoned Musk as well as former company CEO Linda Yaccarino to answer questions as part of a widening probe.
