Spain Initiates Criminal Investigation into Social Media Companies for AI-Generated Child Abuse Material
The Spanish government has announced a decisive move to hold major social media platforms accountable for the proliferation of AI-generated child sexual abuse content. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez revealed that prosecutors will investigate X, Meta, and TikTok to determine if these firms have committed criminal offenses by allegedly allowing their artificial intelligence systems to create and disseminate such harmful material.
Protecting Minors in the Digital Age
In a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Sánchez administration approved the investigation, citing an urgent need to safeguard the mental health, dignity, and rights of children. The government's action is based on an expert report that highlights the potential criminal liability of social media companies in practices involving deepfakes and manipulated real images, which undermine victim dignity. The report warns that these platforms enable massive dissemination with speed and opacity, hindering detection and prosecution while facilitating networks that produce, share, and monetize abusive content.
Elma Saiz, a government spokesperson, emphasized that Spain will not allow digital sexual violence against minors to be amplified or protected by algorithms. She stated that the safety of children, along with the protection of their images, privacy, and freedom, is at stake. The cabinet will formally request the attorney general to investigate and, if applicable, prosecute any firms found to have violated the law.
Broader Regulatory Measures and International Context
This investigation is part of a broader series of measures being prepared by the Spanish government, which includes a proposed social media ban for individuals under 16 years old and legislation to hold tech companies responsible for hateful and harmful content. The move follows closely on the heels of a European Commission investigation into X over sexually explicit images and possible child sexual abuse material generated by its AI chatbot, Grok. Additionally, Ireland's Data Protection Commission has launched a large-scale inquiry into X's generative AI functionality, focusing on compliance with GDPR regulations regarding personal data of EU and EEA subjects.
Meta responded by stating it could not comment on the proposed investigation due to lack of detailed information but affirmed its strong stance against child sexual exploitation and non-consensual intimate imagery, whether real or AI-generated, pledging to remove all such content. X and TikTok have also been approached for comment, with no immediate responses available.
Backlash from Tech Leaders and Global Trends
Prime Minister Sánchez's efforts to regulate social media and shield children from what he terms the "digital wild west" have sparked fierce backlash from tech industry leaders. Earlier this month, Sánchez argued that social media has become a "failed state where laws are ignored and crimes are tolerated," prompting urgent action. His criticism of Elon Musk for using X to amplify disinformation over immigration policies led Musk to label Sánchez a "tyrant and a traitor" and a "true fascist totalitarian."
Similarly, Pavel Durov, co-founder of Telegram, sent a blanket message to all Spanish users, accusing the government of pushing dangerous regulations that threaten internet freedoms and could turn Spain into a surveillance state under the guise of protection. Spanish government sources countered that Durov's message was propaganda designed to erode trust in institutions, underscoring the necessity for regulating social media and messaging apps to prevent foreign tech oligarchs from flooding phones with unchecked content.
Growing global concerns over the harmful effects of social media have prompted several governments, including Spain, Britain, Greece, and France, to adopt or consider stricter legislation. In December, Australia became the first country to implement a ban on social media for children under 16, setting a precedent that Spain is now actively pursuing to enhance digital safety and accountability.
