Sheinbaum Unveils Decree to Protect Minors on Social Media, Without Penalties

Mexico City — President Claudia Sheinbaum announced details of a new decree that would require digital platforms to take down violent content, saying the measure is intended to protect children.

Sheinbaum said platforms would be obliged to remove such content and report it to authorities. She made clear, however, that the decree carries no penalties, and said the goal is for platforms to join the effort voluntarily.

“The decree does not carry penalties as such, and the goal is for platforms to voluntarily join this protection of girls and boys in Mexico, and in any case, if it is not complied with, a later regulation that could carry some penalty will be considered,” she said.

The decree, built around five main pillars, was presented by Luisa María Alcalde Luján, legal counsel to the Mexican government.

What the Decree Requires

Digital platforms would be barred from allowing children and adolescents to access, be exposed to, or be recommended content, images and videos that promote:

• Hate speech or violent extremism
• Abuse, exploitation or sexual violence
• Harassment and cyberharassment
• Cyberbullying
• Illicit conduct
• Explicit sexual material
• Suicide, self-harm and eating disorders

Platforms would also be required to build protections into their design by:

• Classifying content by age
• Identifying and immediately removing accounts or content that promote or generate any form of violence
• Providing mechanisms to report users or content
• Offering supervision tools for parents
• Enabling privacy and safety settings by default, so that minors have protective configurations from the start

Cooperation With Authorities

Under the decree, platforms would work with security and law enforcement agencies by:

• Maintaining a contact point available 24/7 for information requests from investigating authorities
• Preserving and handing over evidence and information to investigators
• Immediately alerting investigating authorities when content that threatens life is identified

Additional Support Measures

The decree also calls for a “Lifeline” offering psychological guidance and support through the number 800-911-2000 for children and adolescents, as well as for mothers, fathers and guardians. It further calls for spreading information on mental health and the conscious use of social media.

The Legal Counsel’s Office was instructed to set up a working group to coordinate the drafting of regulatory proposals needed to promote and strengthen the protection of minors in digital environments.

The Coahuila Case Behind the Decree

The announcement came eight days after an armed attack at Secundaria General No. 13, a middle school in Torreón, Coahuila.

According to official reports, twin brothers known as “los cuates” entered their former school at 8:40 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, armed with knives, axes and machetes. The former students killed the school’s assistant principal and a teacher, and left two adults and one student hospitalized in serious condition.

The twins were bound over for trial and, under Coahuila’s criminal framework for adults, could face up to 60 years in prison.