For more than a decade, various Latin American congresses have been legislating and presenting initiatives that seek to directly or indirectly regulate the digital space. These spaces are an essential part of the personal, political and cultural life of millions of people.

Furthermore, these are the areas where a wide range of human rights such as freedom of expression are exercised and enjoyed. In this regard, there is a question that underlies this not-so-new panorama: how does Internet regulation impact the guarantees of freedom of expression in Latin America? The Center for Studies on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information (CELE) of the University of Palermo created the Legislative Observatory on Freedom of Expression in Latin America with the objective of monitoring legislative developments and the impact of the discussion on the circulation of discourse online and offline at a regional level.

This paper describes the methodology used and points out the main findings, trends and legislative challenges in nine countries in the region: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru. Based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the laws and bills, it seeks to reflect on the recurring themes on the legislative agenda, the criminalization of expression, the legality and proportionality of the measures, the trends in regulation in the digital ecosystem and freedom of expression during the context of the health emergency, among others. Finally, some shared conclusions regarding the regulation of freedom of expression in Latin America are highlighted.

Download Paper Regional