Personal Data Held By Government Agencies Now Heavily Protected In Mexico

In Short

The Situation: Mexican law did not hold government agencies to the same standards of personal data protection expected from private parties.

The Action: Enacted in January 2017, Mexico's General Law on the Protection of Personal Data Held by Regulated Subjects established specific procedures to protect private information held by government entities.

Looking Ahead: Mexican citizens are now able to enforce their so-called "ARCO Rights," and companies engaged in business with Mexican authorities should make sure they understand the protections required when working with personal data.

On January 27, 2017, Mexico's General Law on the Protection of Personal Data Held by Regulated Subjects ("Law") became effective. The Law establishes procedures to protect personal data held by government agencies and other public institutions. Up until this year, only private individuals and companies were adequately bound to establish data protection procedures.