BAKU, July 4. /Dunyo IA/. The Parliament of Azerbaijan has approved a bill restricting the registration of minors on social networks, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing DW.

According to the document, children under the age of 16 will be prohibited from creating accounts. Teenagers from 16 to 18 years old will be able to use the platforms only with the consent and under the supervision of legal representatives. To verify the age, there are mechanisms for verifying the identity through a bank card, mobile phone and e-mail.

The measure also imposes on the owners of social networks the obligation to ensure the safety of underage users: to prevent the spread of harmful content, protect personal data and promptly delete dangerous information. Fines are provided for violations.

The bill will enter into force 12 months after it is officially published. During the preparation of the draft law, international experience in this field was studied in Azerbaijan.

According to the legislators, the new rules will strengthen the protection of children in the digital space and bring national regulation closer to international practice.

Australia was the first country in the world to ban access to social media for children and teenagers. The restrictions began to apply in December 2025. The owners of social networks are responsible for violations.

After that, it became known that similar measures were being prepared in France, Norway, Spain and a number of other countries. In June, the UK announced a ban on the use of social media by children and teenagers under the age of 16. In the same month, about 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to users under the age of 16 were deactivated in Indonesia.