Social Media Safety Bill Filed in Colombian Congress

Representative Carlos Vallejo of the Green Alliance party filed a bill before the chamber on March 22, aiming to establish prevention, protection, and security measures for social media users. The goal is to combat false information on social networks and prevent identity theft. Jose Eliecer Salazar of the U Party and German Rozo of the Liberals are two other representatives who support the project.

This project is named in honor of Ana Maria Chavez Niño, who became a young victim of homicide in 2009 after being deceived by individuals through Facebook. The initiative proposes mechanisms that seek to reduce buying, cyberbullying, and other digital crimes, establishing new access requirements for platforms.

Debate over data security in Social Media Bill proposal

The bill has sparked debate in Congress over data security, with some viewing its proposed measures as overly stringent. These measures include notifying users when their content is downloaded, sharing location during chats, and requiring biometric fingerprint and face recognition to prevent anonymous or fake accounts.

Criticism of the proposal also came from organizations such as the National Association of Communication Media (Asomedios), which warns about the importance of considering fundamental rights such as personal privacy and freedom of expression. They argue that internet regulation does not belong to a private entity but is a cooperative system.

The future of social media safety is uncertain

The initiative, consisting of 7 articles, proposes July 15 as ‘National Prevention and Good Use of Social Networks Day’. In a social media post, Vallejo explained that “The implementation of this project will allow us to more effectively combat problems such as bullying, scams, extortion, and cyberbullying, among other crimes related to the misuse of social networks.” At least five proposals focused on preventing crimes against minors or prohibiting the creation of anonymous or false profiles have been shelved to date.

In the US, Florida recently passed a law to restrict the use of social networks among those under 14 years of age. This comes at a time when the world is questioning the impact of the internet on youth and the practical viability of bills such as the one filed in the Colombian Congress.