Mexico Readies Decree Forcing Platforms to Remove Violent Content After School Attack

Mexico is preparing a decree that would compel social media platforms and digital services to identify, remove, and report violent content. President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled the plan on October 2nd, the day following a deadly school attack in Torreón. Education Minister Mario Delgado stated that a draft decree should be ready within a week.

Sheinbaum emphasized that the primary goal is prevention rather than creating a new crime, and that experts will assist in avoiding censorship. She formed a working group comprising the Legal Counsel of the Presidency, the Security Ministry, the Education Ministry, and the National Intelligence Centre. They would collaborate with the Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications, which oversees the government's digital policy.

Security Minister Omar García Harfuch explained that the decree would mandate platforms to promptly detect, report, and eliminate posts that directly incite violence, while also establishing channels for cooperation with authorities. Delgado questioned how platforms, armed with advanced artificial intelligence and user data, can fail to identify such posts in a timely manner.

Platforms must demonstrate their commitment to ensuring safe spaces for minors, according to the statement from the Education Ministry. The attack on Secondary School No. 13 in Torreón, Coahuila, occurred on October 1st, involving two adult former students armed with bladed weapons. The school's leadership was killed, and four people were injured.

Sheinbaum noted that investigators identified similarities between the Torreón incident and other attacks linked to online contacts through social networks, though no further details were provided about the Querétaro case or the attackers' online interactions. Experts from the National Autonomous University and the National Polytechnic Institute will help determine the specific content that needs to be removed.

The overarching objective, according to Sheinbaum, is to establish rules without urgency to prevent the passage of censorship. Intelligence monitoring of social networks, messaging services, and forums has intensified. It is important to note that merely viewing certain content or expressing an opinion does not automatically imply intent to commit a crime.

The plan also encompasses the classroom aspect, with the government intending to expand its "ABC of Emotions" program, which includes parent meetings, confidential reporting boxes in schools, and guidance for teenagers. The proposal mirrors regulations implemented in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Brazil.

Delgado cited similar measures abroad that limit minors' access to digital platforms. However, the draft decree has not been published, leaving the definition of content classified as "directly inciting violence" uncertain. The government has not specified the penalties platforms would face or the authority that would enforce these measures.

Additionally, it remains unclear how far an executive decree can bind multinational corporations without a law passed by Congress. Sheinbaum indicated that broader regulation of platforms would be discussed in larger forums in the future. Platforms are required to detect, report, and swiftly eliminate posts that directly incite violence, as stated by the government.

They would also coordinate with Mexican authorities. The final text has not been released. President Sheinbaum clarified that the aim is not to establish a new criminal offense. The outlined obligations are primarily directed towards platforms, not individual users. Education Minister Mario Delgado announced on October 2nd that a draft decree should be forthcoming within a week. No publication or enforcement date has been provided.