Mexico’s Senate has passed a reform to federal intellectual property and criminal law that critics have dubbed the “Anti-Meme Law.” The measure, backed by the ruling Morena party along with its allies the Green Party and the Labor Party, cleared the chamber with 68 votes in favor and 34 against from opposition parties PAN, PRI, and Movimiento Ciudadano.
At the heart of the reform is a new provision, Article 403 Bis, which sets prison terms of one to five years and fines ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 “UMA” units—a government-set reference value used in Mexico to calculate penalties and benefits, roughly adjusted each year for inflation—for anyone who commercially uses, reproduces, imitates, or incorporates official government graphics, logos, or digital domains without authorization.
Opposition senators argued during debate that the law’s broad wording could chill freedom of expression, particularly affecting memes, political satire, and parody content that flourishes on social media in Mexico. They warned the measure gives authorities a legal tool to pursue ordinary citizens poking fun at officials online.
Morena legislators pushed back forcefully, insisting the reform targets commercial piracy and counterfeiting—not everyday internet humor—and that memes will remain protected under the law. The bill now moves forward in Mexico’s legislative process.
Want the full details from the debate floor? Check out the original report.
Source: <![CDATA[Senado aprueba la “Ley Antimemes”; Morena niega freno a memear]]> (RSS::excelsior.com.mx – Portada).
Image: Fibonacci Blue, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).