An agreement in the shadows of the digital scene
President Claudia Sheinbaum has just announced a movement that sounds like a script for a political series. In her morning conference, she revealed that the Women’s Secretariat reached a voluntary agreement with digital platforms—including the giant Meta—to confront violence against women on the internet.
“It is a first agreement, it is voluntary, but it allows the Women’s Secretariat to be in permanent contact with the platforms,” said Sheinbaum.
And what does this mean in practice?
It is not a law. It is not mandatory. It’s a gentleman’s agreement in the digital world. The head of the agency, Citlali Hernández Mora, promoted this agreement that establishes direct communication with technology companies.
The objective is clear: create protocols to address complaints and, crucially, remove content that violates or attacks women. Images, posts, comments—everything that turns virtual space into a minefield.
My father always said that politics is measured by how it affects daily life. Here we are talking about your teenage daughter being able to surf the internet without fear of being harassed. That a journalist does not receive threats for publishing her opinion.
But let me be clear: “voluntary” is the key word here. No legal teeth, no fines, no real consequences beyond corporate goodwill. It’s like asking the wolf to look after the sheep because he promised to behave well.
The political move is smart—Sheinbaum shows action on a real problem that affects millions. But behind the scenes, the real drama will be to see if these platforms, whose business depends on (sometimes toxic) engagement, deliver beyond the press release.
Meanwhile, women continue to be exposed in digital theater. Let’s hope that this first act does not end up being pure scenery.
