Azerbaijan Sets Rules for Children's Social Media Registration, Fines Violators Up to 50,000 Manat
BAKU — Azerbaijan has defined new requirements governing how children register and use social media platforms, alongside a companion measure setting fines of up to 50,000 manat (roughly $29,000) for platforms or parties that violate the rules. A related decision also calls for compiling a formal list of platforms subject to age-restriction requirements going forward.
The move places Azerbaijan alongside a growing number of countries tightening rules around children's social media use this year, following high-profile age-verification and minimum-age laws adopted elsewhere in 2025 and 2026 in response to mounting concern about social media's effects on child mental health, privacy, and exposure to inappropriate content. The specific registration requirements, verification mechanisms, and which platforms will fall under the upcoming restricted list have not yet been fully detailed.
For parents and schools, the rules signal a more active regulatory posture toward children's online lives — complementing existing initiatives such as Azerbaijan's "Rəqəmsal bacarıqlar" (Digital Skills) program, which focuses on the more constructive side of children's technology use even as this measure addresses its risks.
