Digital femicide in Mexico: challenges and scope of the legal responsibility of technological platforms

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationship between digital violence against women and contexts of femicidal violence in Mexico, with particular attention to the legal challenges arising from the responsibility of technology platforms. It argues that “digital femicide” is not an autonomous criminal offense under current Mexican law, but rather an analytical category that helps explain how certain online practices -systematic harassment, threats, doxing, non-consensual sharing of intimate content, circulation of violent images, and coordinated attacks- may precede, accompany, or prolong extreme forms of gender-based violence. The study follows a qualitative documentary approach based on legal review, specialized literature, and analysis of public cases. The findings show that Mexico has made progress in criminalizing femicide and legally recognizing digital violence; however, significant problems persist, including normative fragmentation, delayed responses, evidentiary weakness, revictimization, and opacity in moderation systems. The article concludes that prevention requires due diligence, algorithmic transparency, victim-centered protocols, preservation of digital evidence, and coordinated action among the State, platforms, and civil society.