Mexico to unveil social media regulation proposal by end of August

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that a proposal to regulate social media, aimed at combating addiction among minors, will be ready by the end of August. The initiative, part of a national debate held during her Monday morning press conferences, will first address school policies before broader platform regulation Source: heraldomx.

Key measures

• The proposal will include rules for mobile device use in schools, with a decision expected before the school year starts on August 31 Source: lajornadamx.
• Experts recommend raising the minimum age for social media accounts to 16 and banning phones during school hours Source: lajornadamx.
• Sheinbaum emphasized that regulation is a public health issue, not just a security matter, and should be a collective decision Source: infobae.

Expert input

During the conference, experts Jonathan Haidt and Arturo Béjar detailed how platform design—such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic recommendations—creates addictive behavior. Béjar noted that the industry often denies addiction and shifts blame to parents Source: lajornadamx. Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, warned that algorithms are not neutral and called for separating students from phones during the school day Source: lajornadamx.

International context

Sheinbaum distanced Mexico from the U.S. stance on regulation, asserting that decisions will be based on scientific evidence and national consensus, not industry interests Source: infobae. The government cited that 70% of parents support a total ban on phones during school hours Source: infobae.