The Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of Azerbaijan has approved, in the first reading, a new legislative package introducing significant fines for social media platforms that fail to comply with age-restriction requirements and safety regulations.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses, as well as the laws "On Information, Informatization, and Protection of Information" and "On the Protection of Children from Harmful Information," were discussed during the parliament's extraordinary session.
Under the new regulations, failure to submit required information to the designated executive authority, or submitting incomplete or distorted data, will result in fines ranging from 6,000 to 7,000 AZN for officials and 15,000 to 20,000 AZN for legal entities.
Furthermore, social media providers that fail to respond to official inquiries within five business days regarding age-restricted content will face stricter penalties: officials will be fined between 7,000 and 8,000 AZN, while legal entities will face fines between 25,000 and 30,000 AZN.
The legislation also addresses the safety of users aged 16-18. Platforms failing to implement necessary technical measures to protect minors from harmful content—including threats to life, health, or dignity—or failing to remove such content within 24 hours of detection, will face substantial fines. Additionally, the law prohibits the unauthorized transfer of personal data to third parties or its use for targeted commercial advertising, except for age verification purposes. Violations of these provisions will result in fines of 8,000 to 9,000 AZN for officials and 35,000 to 40,000 AZN for legal entities.
Repeat offenses committed within one year of an administrative penalty will incur even higher fines, reaching up to 10,000 AZN for officials and 50,000 AZN for legal entities. The law is set to enter into force 12 months after its official publication.
This legislative initiative reflects Azerbaijan's ongoing efforts to enhance digital safety and align national information security standards with international practices, ensuring a safer online environment for the country's youth.
