Online safety & content laws in Nicaragua (2026)

Article 30 of the Special Cybercrime Law (Ley 1042) punishes publishing/spreading 'false' or 'distorted' information that causes alarm, fear or anxiety with 2-4 years' prison plus fines; defamation-type online publication carries 1-3 years. The terms 'fake news' and 'distorted information' are undefined, leaving the government and courts to decide what qualifies.

Law 1219 (published in La Gaceta, 12 Sep 2024) reformed and added to Ley 1042, broadening offenses and reinforcing prosecution of ICT-related conduct; rights monitors report it extends reach to Nicaraguans (including exiled journalists) acting from abroad.

The General Law on Convergent Telecommunications (Ley 1223), published 6 Nov 2024 and in force 6 Nov 2025, repealed the 1995 telecom law and concentrates standard-setting, supervision and oversight of broadcasting, internet and mobile services in the regulator TELCOR. Implementing rules (Administrative Agreements 002-007/2025) were published 18 Nov 2025.

Article 110 of Ley 1223 requires telecom operators and audiovisual providers to hand TELCOR all requested information, including statistical and georeferenced data, which rights groups warn enables monitoring of calls, messages, emails, web browsing and app use; TELCOR has also issued regulation requiring operators to preserve data generated by telecom services.

Freedom House's Freedom on the Net 2025 classifies Nicaragua's internet as 'Not Free,' citing censorship, surveillance and arrests over online expression; the Inter American Press Association ranks Nicaragua among the Americas' most censored states, and individuals have faced lengthy sentences for social-media posts.

Nicaragua has no DSA/OSA-style online-safety statute imposing platform duty-of-care, transparency, content-moderation or age-verification obligations on intermediaries; the legal framework is oriented to state control of content and surveillance rather than user-protection or platform liability rules.