Mexico President Sheinbaum orders tech firms to protect kids and teens from harmful online content
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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that she will sign a presidential decree on Wednesday requiring digital platforms, including social media networks and streaming services, to shield children and teenagers from violent, sexual, and other harmful content.
Intended to heighten scrutiny of major technology firms operating in Latin America’s second-largest economy, the decree follows an early October attack at a high school in the northern state of Coahuila, where two 18-year-old former students left one person dead and three others injured.
Digital platforms will be given a period of one month to come into full compliance with the decree, according to government adviser Luisa Maria Alcalde.
Sheinbaum added that if technology companies fail to abide by the mandate, her administration will support legislation to levy punishments against non-compliant platforms.
Government officials said they have already held meetings with representatives from Meta, Microsoft, Apple, TikTok, Google, X, and Huawei to discuss the upcoming requirements.
Those companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The measure reflects a broader global movement to safeguard minors on the internet, with authorities across Europe and Australia tightening digital platform oversight and US states enacting a variety of child-safety regulations.
Brazil has similarly moved to reinforce online protections for children.
Such regulatory efforts around the world continue to raise questions over how best to protect young users while simultaneously preserving personal privacy and freedom of expression
