Mexico Senate approves industrial property reform amid censorship concerns

The Mexican Senate's joint commissions for Justice, Economy, and Legislative Studies have approved a reform to the Federal Law for the Protection of Industrial Property, colloquially dubbed the ‘Anti-Meme Law’. The reform aims to combat piracy and fraud by preventing the unauthorized use of official government logos and graphic identities to deceive the public.

Following significant backlash regarding potential censorship, the proposed text was amended. The original draft suggested prison sentences of up to seven years; the revised version establishes a penalty of one to five years of imprisonment and fines for those who use official institutional graphics on a commercial scale with the intent to commit fraud or deception.

Opposition parties, including PAN and PRI, have expressed continued concern, arguing that the language remains ambiguous and lacks an explicit clause protecting political satire, parodies, and memes. Proponents, including members of the Morena party, maintain that the legislation is intended to harmonize Mexican law with USMCA requirements and prevent digital scams, rather than to restrict freedom of expression or political criticism.