Spain opens investigation into alleged dissemination of pedophilia content on TikTok

The Spanish Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into alleged pedophilia content on TikTok following a report by the Maldita.es foundation. The foundation discovered over 1,000 explicit videos of sexual assaults against children, accumulating 48 million views, with TikTok reportedly removing only 10% of reported content. Investigators found over 26,000 profiles exchanging or selling sexual abuse material. Despite regulations prohibiting minors from live streaming, around 100 such streams were identified across 17 countries, where viewers encouraged children to perform sexual acts for money or gifts. The foundation criticized TikTok's moderation systems, calling it 'the pedophile's home.' EU regulations aim to restrict access for users under 13 due to safety concerns, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has proposed measures to combat illegal content on social media.