Balearics: AI cyber violence cases involve under-18s

AI cyber violence cases reported in the Balearics have sometimes involved people under 18, prosecutors say. Spain’s State Prosecutor General’s Office raised the alarm in its 2025 annual report, presented on Thursday. It says artificial intelligence is opening up harmful possibilities whose full scale is still impossible to predict.

The report points to a rise in digital attacks on children, teenagers and women subjected to gender-based violence. It warns that AI-generated illegal material can look real, particularly where it is used to exploit, blackmail or approach minors.

Prosecutors say AI can help offenders spot weak points in computer systems, impersonate other people and reach vulnerable targets. It can also be used to create and spread material of child sexual abuse, an area where the report says harm is already being seen.

The Prosecutor’s Office in Zaragoza first warned in 2024 that AI was being used for digital gender violence among young people. That warning spread in 2025, with Badajoz and the Balearics reporting similar situations.

The report also says requests sent to technology firms such as Facebook and Instagram are often ineffective in practice. Replies can take so long that investigations are left without enough evidence.

Prosecutors want more specialist training to tackle new forms of technology crime. Smaller prosecutor’s offices often lack their own technical resources, the report says.

Topics: Court cases · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com