Spain to probe X, Meta, TikTok over AI-generated little one sexual abuse materials

‘These platforms are undermining the psychological well being, dignity, and rights of our youngsters,’ Spanish Prime MInister Pedro Sanchez says on X. ‘The state can not permit this. The impunity of those giants should finish.’

MADRID, Spain – The Spanish authorities has ordered prosecutors to research social media platforms X, Meta, and TikTok for allegedly spreading AI-generated little one sexual abuse materials, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated on Tuesday, February 17.

The announcement comes as European regulators are cracking down on huge tech firms, alleging the prevalence of abusive practices on on-line platforms starting from anti-competitive conduct in digital promoting to deliberate design of addictive options on social media.

The three firms named by Sanchez didn’t instantly reply to emailed requests for remark.

Rising world scrutiny of tech platforms

“These platforms are undermining the psychological well being, dignity, and rights of our youngsters,” Sanchez wrote on his X account. “The state can not permit this. The impunity of those giants should finish.”

He stated the federal government would ask prosecutors to “examine the crimes that X, Meta, and TikTok could also be committing via the creation and dissemination of kid pornography utilizing their AI”.

Spain shouldn’t be the one nation probing sexually specific content material generated by Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot Grok on X — different governments have launched investigations, bans and calls for for safeguards in a rising world push to curb unlawful materials.

Earlier this month, Sanchez introduced a number of measures aimed toward curbing on-line abuse and defending kids, together with a proposed ban on entry to social media platforms for these below the age of 16.

On the identical day, French police raided the places of work of Musk’s X and prosecutors ordered the tech billionaire to face questions in a widening investigation amid rising scrutiny of the platform by authorities throughout Europe.

In November, Sanchez stated that Spain’s parliament would examine Meta for attainable privateness violations of its Fb and Instagram customers.

In the meantime, Eire’s Knowledge Safety Fee stated on Tuesday it had opened a proper investigation into Grok over the processing of private information and its potential to provide dangerous sexualized photographs and video, together with of youngsters. – Rappler.com