Spain's data protection agency, the AEPD, rejected calls for a nationwide block on TikTok, choosing instead to investigate specific content and links that unlawfully process children's data. Alongside the regulatory inquiry, Spain's attorney general directed the cybercrimes prosecutor to assess criminal offenses tied to child sexual abuse material and minor corruption. To advance the probe, the AEPD asked TikTok to outline the steps taken to eliminate the 1,183 explicit posts documented by Maldita.es. Because TikTok's primary European privacy regulator is based in Ireland, Spanish authorities will send their case findings to Dublin and the European Commission.
Key points
Spanish privacy regulators chose targeted content enforcement over the national governmen…: Spanish privacy regulators chose targeted content enforcement over the national government's request for a full platform shutdown.
Cross-border privacy rules restrict Spain's unilateral enforcement power because Ireland…: Cross-border privacy rules restrict Spain's unilateral enforcement power because Ireland serves as TikTok's lead European supervisory authority.
Evidence gathered by Spanish investigators will be shared with the European Commission an…: Evidence gathered by Spanish investigators will be shared with the European Commission and fellow regulators across the European Union.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
MADRID, Nov 11 : Spain's data protection watchdog AEPD said on Wednesday that it had launched a probe into the alleged proliferation of child sexual abuse material on social media platform TikTok brought to light in an investigation by a local news website.
However, the AEPD rejected the government's demand to temporarily block the app in the country, opting instead for measures targeting specific content.
• The Spanish probe comes as big tech companies face growing scrutiny across Europe over harmful and illegal online content affecting minors
• TikTok did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment
• Separately, Spain's attorney general ordered the cybercrimes prosecutor to investigate "any potential crimes related to the production and dissemination of child sexual abuse material and the corruption of minors that may have been committed" on TikTok
• The government's demand to suspend access to the platform followed investigative reporting by Spanish online outlet Maldita.es, which documented 1,183 explicit posts
• The AEPD said it would ask Maldita.es for the links identified in its exposé and request that TikTok provide information…
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