Azerbaijan has established new administrative penalties for social media platforms that fail to comply with age restriction requirements and digital safety regulations.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, President Ilham Aliyev has signed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses, as well as the laws "On Information, Informatization and Protection of Information" and "On Protection of Children from Harmful Information."
Under the new legislation, failure to provide required information to the designated executive authority, or providing incomplete or distorted data, will result in fines ranging from 6,000 to 7,000 manats for officials and 15,000 to 20,000 manats for legal entities. Furthermore, if a social media provider fails to respond to official inquiries within five business days, or provides inaccurate data, officials face fines of 7,000 to 8,000 manats, while legal entities face penalties between 25,000 and 30,000 manats.
The legislation also introduces strict measures regarding the protection of minors on digital platforms. Penalties ranging from 8,000 to 9,000 manats for officials and 35,000 to 40,000 manats for legal entities will be imposed for:
- Failure to implement technical safety measures during account creation;
- Inadequate protection for users aged 16-18;
- Failure to implement digital solutions that prevent the spread of harmful content affecting the life, health, or dignity of minors;
- Unauthorized use of personal data for commercial or targeted advertising purposes;
- Failure to delete content or personal data upon the request of a minor, their legal representative, or the relevant authority.
Repeat offenses within one year of an administrative penalty will result in increased fines, ranging from 9,000 to 10,000 manats for officials and 45,000 to 50,000 manats for legal entities. These amendments are set to come into force 12 months after their official publication.
In accordance with a decree signed by the President, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport has been tasked with approving the list of social media platforms subject to these age restrictions within five months and reporting the findings to the President.
These legislative changes reflect Azerbaijan's ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and ensure a safer digital environment for children, aligning national regulations with international standards for online child protection.
