Ley de Telecomunicaciones y Radiodifusión [Broadcasting and Telecommunications Act]

(1) The Telecommunications Act recently passed in Mexico (on July 17, 2014). Under Article 15, Section LXI, the Telecommunications Federal Institute of Telecommunications (FIT) has the power to order the ‘precautionary suspension of transmission of content’.

(2) Further, the new law provides the government with the right to geolocalize any cell phone without a warrant. It also forces Internet Service Providers to save customer data for at least 24 months, and to keep such information available for the security agencies of the Mexican Government. All without judicial authorization. (Articles 189-190)

(3) Also, telecoms may be requested to block access to communications by the FIT, if those communications are deemed a threat to “public order and national security" (Article 190, Section VII).

(4) The government argues that it requires exceptional measures to combat crime effectively, especially the phenomenon of kidnapping. But The Telecommunications Act does not establish any caution. Many civil organizations are promoting a campaign before the FIT  to demand said agency to issue a negative opinion on the above mentioned controversial points, so that the law can be properly amended. see also EFF page; and Article19 page