Decree on Safe Digital Spaces for Children and Adolescents

October 15, 2026

As announced late last week, on October 10, the President of Mexico published a Decree of public order and mandatory application throughout the country, establishing binding requirements for Digital Platforms (social media, video games, app stores, and any other digital services that enable interaction or content sharing) to protect children and adolescents in digital environments.

Under the Decree, Digital Platforms are prohibited from allowing children and adolescents to access, be exposed to, or receive recommendations for content involving:

• Harassment, including cyberharassment and cyberbullying;
• Sexual abuse, exploitation, or violence;
• Hate speech, violent extremism, or forms of mass violence;
• Sharing content that promotes hatred or violence, particularly in school environments;
• Unlawful conduct or the glorification of criminal activity;
• Pornography or sexually explicit material;
• Suicide, deliberate self-harm, and eating disorders.

The Decree establishes a series of obligations and requirements for Digital Platforms aimed at protecting children and adolescents.

In summary, Digital Platforms must:

• Document and report the measures implemented to comply with the Decree within 30 calendar days.
• Implement robust age verification mechanisms that go beyond self-declaration.
• Apply the highest privacy settings by default to new accounts and incorporate privacy protections into platform design.
• Conduct periodic risk assessments.
• Designate a point of contact for communications with the authorities who must remain available at all times.
• Preserve digital evidence associated with removed accounts.