Mexico orders digital platforms to strengthen online protections for minors
Mexico has issued a mandatory decree requiring digital platforms to limit minors’ exposure to harmful content and introduce stronger child-safety measures. Companies have 30 calendar days to comply, while the government has indicated that further legislation could follow if platforms fail to meet the requirements.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum signed a federal decree on 14 October 2026 requiring digital platforms to strengthen protections for children and adolescents. The measure sets a 30-day deadline for platforms to adapt their services, placing responsibility on providers to address risks arising from content, recommendations and user interactions.
The decree covers platforms that enable users to communicate, interact, create or share content. It prohibits minors’ access to, exposure to or recommendation of material promoting hate speech, violent extremism, sexual abuse and exploitation, suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, school violence, harassment, cyberbullying, unlawful conduct and explicit sexual content.
Platforms must incorporate child-safety measures into their service design. Requirements include identifying and removing accounts or content that promote violence, classifying content according to age suitability, providing parental supervision and reporting tools, and applying stronger privacy and safety settings for younger users. Platforms must also maintain mechanisms to cooperate with authorities when serious risks to children are identified.
Mexico’s Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications will oversee compliance. According to the government, digital platforms were consulted before the decree was signed. The measure is mandatory but initially non-punitive, with the government leaving open the possibility of additional legislation if companies fail to comply.
The decree places the immediate emphasis on platform changes rather than introducing a new legislative framework with penalties from the outset. Its short implementation period will require companies to translate broad child-safety obligations into operational measures within a month. Whether further legislation follows will depend, in part, on how the government assesses compliance.
