Government held talks with Meta ahead of social media regulation for minors; they identify that victims seek to evade the rules

Within the framework of regulating artificial intelligence and social media for children and adolescents, the Mexican government has recently maintained a dialogue with platforms such as Meta regarding the protection of minors online. Just in September, Screen Smart México took place, where experts engaged in dialogue and the actions taken by Facebook and Instagram to protect adolescents were presented. They identified that, in the face of platform regulation, minors would seek to evade the rules, regardless of what ends up being approved. "We don't wait to be regulated to do things right," said María Cristina Capelo, Head of Safety at Meta Latin America. Meta. Photo: iStock "We have a constant dialogue with authorities that are also dedicated to this. We have a collaborative relationship with SIPINNA (...). We take into account that this national debate is happening, and we find it very relevant that the Government has focused on how to better protect adolescents. What we contribute is the experience we have had in different countries, with the different regulatory approaches," said Eliana Pérez, public policy manager at Meta in Mexico. Capelo added that for more than 20 years, the company has developed tools to keep adolescents between 13 and 17 years old safe on its platforms, such as accounts for minors and a Safety Advisory Board that guides the company in product development, options to filter words, restrict users, set time limits, and hide "Likes." Also a platform that prevents the spread of child exploitation material, as well as consultation with experts and parents to prevent risks in its applications and stay one step ahead of those who try to misuse them. In addition, message restrictions are considered that prevent strangers from contacting adolescents, reminders to leave the application after an hour of use, and the activation of an automatic sleep mode that pauses notifications between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the next day. It was emphasized that access for those under 13 years old is not permitted on Instagram and Facebook, and that for years they have invested in age verification systems to prevent unauthorized access. The specialist noted that the best way to prevent those under 13 from accessing social media is through regulation that requires app stores to obtain parental authorization for their children to download an application. You may be interested in: "We're coming for the women"; armed brothers attack a secondary school in Torreón and kill the vice principal With candles and flowers, they remember the vice principal murdered in the attack on a secondary school in Torreón; two of the injured are in serious condition: prosecutor "Now it's my turn": TikTok post shows clothing and weapons allegedly used in the attack on a secondary school in Torreón; user under investigation nro/apr