Mexico orders platforms to shield minors from harmful content
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Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, signed a decree requiring digital platforms to protect children from harmful online content.
The decree instructs social media and other content-sharing platforms to remove content that promotes violence, hate speech, self-harm, and explicit sexual material when created by or targeted towards minors. Platforms must also implement age classifications, parental controls, stronger privacy settings, and a 24/7 contact for law enforcement investigations.
The government expects platforms to implement these changes within 30 days, though it will not initially punish non-compliance. Mexico’s Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications will oversee enforcement, and the government plans to pursue further legislation if platforms do not adhere to the new rules. Mexico previously considered taxing violent video games but abandoned the idea.
This new decree distinguishes Mexico from other countries implementing similar protections, as it utilizes a presidential decree instead of new laws, joining nations like Australia, several European countries, China, and US states with digital child protection measures.
