Spain has initiated a new legal approach against major social media platforms, requesting prosecutors to investigate Meta, TikTok, and X for allegations of circulating AI-generated child sexual abuse material on their services. Announced on 17 February 2026, this move reflects Europe’s intensified response to the role of generative AI in creating and spreading illegal images online.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the Spanish state must protect children’s “safety, privacy and dignity,” referencing a technical report from three ministries. This investigation coincides with European governments considering stricter social media rules for adolescents and assessing platforms’ responsibility regarding algorithm-driven content recommendations. (Reuters)
Spain’s action stems from long-standing concerns among child-protection experts that generative tools produce abusive material faster than traditional detection systems can handle. Reuters highlights Spain’s intervention amid increased scrutiny over platforms’ recommendation systems, moderation practices, and design decisions potentially harming minors. (Reuters)
This growing concern in Europe sees regulators treating online safety as a “systems” issue, focusing on product design and algorithms beyond individual posts. The European Times recently covered EU scrutiny of TikTok’s “addictive design,” noting features like infinite scroll and autoplay as risks for younger users.
Spain’s prosecutorial request fits into broader European enforcement and investigation efforts. Reuters reports that Ireland’s Data Protection Commission is formally investigating X’s AI chatbot Grok for personal data processing and concerns over generating sexualized content involving minors. (Reuters)
Separately, Brussels has been intensifying scrutiny under the Digital Services Act (DSA), targeting online services to protect minors from illegal and harmful content. The European Times previously reported EU investigations using the DSA to address minors’ exposure to pornography on major adult-content platforms.
Spain’s prosecutors will now decide the inquiry’s scope and direction. The larger issue is whether national investigations, EU enforcement, and data-protection oversight can effectively curb AI-enabled abuse, or if innovation outpaces current safeguards.
For Europe, 17 February 2026 represents a step in realizing that child protection online extends beyond policing or content moderation. It is a governance challenge concerning digital product design, algorithm operation, and states’ enforcement speed of existing rules.
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