Maldita.es said TikTok’s livestream gifts enabled viewers to pay minors for requested acts, while ministry sources told EFE that Spain had asked prosecutors to act on child sexual abuse material found on the platform.
The Spanish nonprofit counted 1,182 public posts containing explicit child sexual abuse material between Sept. 11 and Oct. 15. Those posts had attracted 48 million views, it said. Researchers found the material through keyword searches and TikTok’s recommendation feed.
Maldita.es said that, among 50 videos it reported through TikTok’s system, five had been removed and 13 were inaccessible in Spain. Of 231 accounts it identified as posting explicit material, 136 remained active on Oct. 15.
The nonprofit also reported 91 livestreams involving minors in 17 countries. It said viewers offered money for requested actions, some sexual, and that TikTok’s virtual gifts enabled payments to children while generating revenue for the platform. Earlier EconoTimes coverage examined TikTok’s livestream gift revenue and child-safety warnings.
Ministry sources told EFE that the Ministry of Youth and Children had asked the Attorney General’s Office to pursue measures to protect children who may be affected. The sources said a nationwide suspension of TikTok’s services was a possibility if authorities deemed it appropriate. Youth and Children Minister Sira Rego also requested an urgent meeting with the company’s representatives in Spain, they told EFE.
The ministry sources cited concerns about TikTok’s content detection and moderation, as well as its recommendation system. Maldita.es said TikTok had asked it for more information but had not answered its questions about child protections or the findings by the time the investigation was published.
