Bill on Social Media and Minors in Argentina

Bill 1114-D-2026, introduced by deputy Maria Jimena Lopez, proposes the creation of a protection and parental support regime based on age for the access to social media, under a framework of shared responsibility between the State, service providers, and families.

In particular, the Bill prohibits creating social media accounts for children under 13 years of age, subject to limited exceptions grounded in the best interests of the child. It further provides that individuals aged 14 to 16 years may only access social media with parental consent, while those aged 16 to 18 years may create accounts unless otherwise restricted by court order.

The Bill also imposes obligations on digital platforms: they will be required to implement robust age verification systems as a condition for operating in Argentina, as well as reliable and traceable mechanisms to obtain parental consent.

Service providers will be required to offer free guidelines on responsible use of social media, drafted in plain language, based on national and international standards, and subject to the enforcement authority’s approval.

The enforcement authority will, in turn, be responsible for developing awareness campaigns on the risks and benefits of information technologies, as well as on the rights of children and adolescents in digital environments.

In the event of non-compliance, the Bill provides for sanctions, including warnings, fines up to 30% of the company’s total monthly turnover for the previous financial year, and potential suspension of operations in Argentina.

As from the Bill, this proposal is part of an international trend aimed at strengthening the protection of minors against the risks of the digital environment. In this context, there has been increasing recognition of the need for platforms to assume a more active role in the design of safer digital environments, by adopting preventive measures, promoting digital literacy, and strengthening applicable regulatory frameworks. Accordingly, this Bill is an initial step toward mitigating the risks to which children and adolescents are exposed in the digital environment.