Mexico to force Meta, TikTok, and X to better protect minors on platform

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkMexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks at a news conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on September 28, 2026 [Mario Guzman/EPA]By Al Jazeera Staff and ReutersPublished On 14 Oct 202614 Oct 2026Mexican ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠President Claudia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sheinbaum signed a presidential decree requiring digital platforms, including TikTok, Meta and X, to protect children from violent, sexual and other harmful content online.The decree establishes that digital platforms must, by design, restrict exposure to content involving violence, harassment or sexual abuse, as well as immediately remove any risky material from the profiles of minors.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Australia’s under-16 social media ban failing, study shows: What it meanslist 2 of 4Why is Australia banning social media for teenagers?list 3 of 4Facebook found liable as TikTok settles for $100m over user safetylist 4 of 4Meta lawsuits: Is social media facing a global legal reckoning?end of listSheinbaum said on Wednesday that the government would back legislation to penalise companies that fail to implement the decree.“If no progress is made, it would become a law,” she told a news conference on Tuesday.“The goal is for digital platforms to take on some of the responsibility and refrain from disseminating, promoting, or spreading content related to this type of information — including criminal acts or violent behaviour,” Sheinbaum had said earlier when she indicated she would introduce the decree.The decree comes after an attack by two 18-year-olds on their former high school in the northern ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌state of Coahuila in early October that killed one and wounded three others.Digital platforms will have one month to comply with the decree, government adviser Luisa Maria Alcalde said.Officials said they had already discussed the matter with representatives of social media outlets and streaming platforms such as Meta, Microsoft, Apple, TikTok, Google, X and Huawei.Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Reddit, Threads and X applications are displayed on a mobile phone [File: Hollie Adams/Reuters] Last August, Meta, for example, agreed to pay an $18bn settlement in a major US federal case accusing it of endangering children, and was forced to introduce new safety features to platforms including Instagram and Facebook. The lawsuit alleged Meta had violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠retaining, and using personal data from children under 13 without proper parental consent.Mexico’s move follows a broader global push to protect minors online, with governments in Europe and Australia tightening oversight of digital platforms and US states pursuing a range of child-safety measures.Brazil has also moved to strengthen protections for children online. Such measures have raised questions over how to protect minors while safeguarding privacy and freedom of expression.