Mexico moves to require online platforms to shield minors from harmful content

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would sign a decree requiring digital platforms, including social networks and streaming services, to protect children and teenagers from violent, sexual and other harmful content. The measure follows an October attack at a high school in Coahuila that killed one person and injured three.

The government says platforms must prevent minors from being shown material involving violent extremism, sexual abuse, suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, school violence, harassment and explicit sexual content. It also calls for age classifications, parental controls, protective privacy settings, reporting tools and a round-the-clock contact for investigators.

Government adviser Luisa María Alcalde said companies would have one month to comply. Sheinbaum said the administration would support legislation carrying penalties if platforms ignored the decree. Officials have consulted Meta, Microsoft, Apple, TikTok, Google, X and Huawei, but the companies’ individual responses were not detailed in the available announcement.

The policy places Mexico within a broader international push for child-safety rules online. Its practical effect will depend on the final text and enforcement, including how age checks and content controls operate without unnecessarily collecting personal data or restricting lawful expression.