Exploring What Children Can See on Social Media in Mexico

5Rights Foundation, Revealing Reality and Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health tested TikTok, Instagram and X with simulated child profiles based on real children’s online behaviour. Researchers used ordinary actions including scrolling, liking, following and searching to examine what each platform could surface.

All of the simulated profiles gained access without encountering meaningful age-verification measures. Some were shown potentially harmful material, including self-harm content, cartel violence and sexualised imagery, after relatively short periods of engagement. Search functions were an important route to specific content even when platforms blocked terms or displayed warnings.

A small number of TikTok profiles also encountered coin-based features that appeared to reward extended viewing, though the study could not determine their purpose or effect. The findings identify gaps between platforms’ child-safety commitments and the experiences their designs permit in Mexico.