Mexican senator proposes ban on social media accounts for under-13s

A senator in Mexico has proposed banning children under 13 from creating and using social media accounts, in a bill that would place the burden of enforcement on the technology companies rather than on young people or their families.

Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez, of the Partido del Trabajo (Workers' Party), presented the initiative to reform the Ley General de los Derechos de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes (General Law on the Rights of Children and Adolescents). The proposal was reported on 10 October 2026.

Under the proposal, companies operating social networks would have to introduce age verification mechanisms. The bill also states that data collected through those checks must not be used for any other purpose.

Why the senator says it is needed

Anaya Gutiérrez said digital spaces can harm teenagers' lives, especially during an emotionally vulnerable stage. He identified cyberbullying as one of the main risks, alongside exposure to violent, sexual or discriminatory content.

"When a child suffers harassment in digital spaces or an inappropriate personal photograph of them is spread, it is not enough to remove that post or close the account, because the information may have been shared and the harm continues outside the platform," the senator said.

He said protection should begin before children enter digital environments whose risks they do not yet have the tools to identify and confront, particularly during what he described as an emotionally vulnerable stage of life.

What the reform would and would not do

The senator was clear that the proposal does not seek to restrict access to the internet or disregard the benefits it offers, including educational ones. He said the reform would not punish under-13s who use these platforms, but would instead set obligations for the companies providing the service.

"Setting 13 as the minimum age is not intended to penalise minors, but to require responsibility from the companies that operate these platforms," he said.

What happens next

The initiative has been sent to the Senate's committees on the Rights of Children and Adolescents and on Legislative Studies First, where it must be examined before it can advance through the legislative process. For now, the restriction remains only a proposal: no ban preventing under-13s from using social media in Mexico has been approved.

For readers asking what this means for them, our guides cover the case against the platforms, guidance for parents, the latest developments and checking whether you are eligible to claim.