Azerbaijan.US
Azerbaijan is considering a proposal to prohibit children under the age of 16 from opening social media accounts.
The initiative was put forward by Member of Parliament Kamal Jafarov during a plenary session of the Milli Majlis, according to Report. He called for discussions on introducing relevant amendments to national legislation.
Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova said the issue would be reviewed at one of the upcoming parliamentary sessions.
In a related initiative, lawmakers also proposed establishing a legal framework to regulate digital addiction among children and adolescents and to address the negative psychological impact of the digital environment.
MP Jeyhun Mammadov said excessive screen time and immersion in virtual spaces are increasingly affecting children’s mental health, education, and upbringing.
“One of the most important challenges today is maintaining a balance between education, upbringing, and technology,” he said.
Mammadov noted that global practice is already moving toward legal regulation of this issue, with a growing number of countries adopting laws aimed at mitigating digital addiction among minors. However, he stressed that legislation alone would not be sufficient.
“Alongside legal measures, broad public awareness and educational efforts involving state institutions and non-governmental organizations are also necessary,” he said, proposing the organization of parliamentary hearings on the issue.
