Social media usage restrictions for children are increasing worldwide.
A number of countries are severely restricting or prohibiting children's access to social networks.
Australia has blocked access to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and other social media platforms for teenagers under 16 years old starting from December 2025, imposing fines of up to a million dollars for violations. Spain, on the other hand, plans to prohibit social media access for children under 16 without parental consent.
Other European countries - Denmark, France, Italy, and Norway - are also working to strengthen age restrictions and parental control requirements.
Against the backdrop of tightening restrictions on social networks for children and teenagers in a number of countries worldwide, this issue has also emerged on the agenda of public and expert discussions in Azerbaijan. Experts emphasize the impact of social media on the psychological development of minors, online safety, and the importance of strengthening parental control mechanisms.
The fact that today (February 06, 2026) around 09:00, a student at Idrak Lyceum severely wounded his teacher by firing a weapon makes the aforementioned topic even more relevant. (//modern.az/az/hadise/565351/bakida-sagird-muellimi-gulleledi/)
Alongside sociologists' and psychologists' situational approach to the issue, they do not rule out the thesis that such criminal incidents originate from social networks.
Member of the Milli Majlis Hikmət Məmmədov commented to Modern.az on the instances of social network usage by children and teenagers in Azerbaijan.
He noted that social networks often have a negative impact on the formation of the younger generation, the preservation of national values, and national interests:
“The uncontrolled and easily accessible nature of information negatively affects the behavior of young people whose national and statehood thinking has not yet fully formed. As a result, the younger generation, who are our biological and genetic successors, transform into different social beings in terms of thought.
The filtering of social networks is observed not only in Azerbaijan but also in many countries around the world. Steps are also being taken in Turkey towards the legal regulation of social networks. Considering these experiences, there is a need for the adoption of relevant laws in Azerbaijan as well, and this would serve national interests.”
The deputy noted that in the prohibition process, age categories and the responsibilities to be applied to each age should be specifically analyzed by sociologists and psychologists, and the boundaries should be precisely defined:
“The evolving international experience should be studied. Relevant laws can be adopted, taking into account Azerbaijani mentality and national psychology.”
Hikmət Məmmədov added that social networks operate in the form of companies:
“As in other countries, regulation based on contracts for specific age categories and content types can be applied in our country as well. In global practice, there are also instances of social networks being sued and held accountable. The goal is not prohibition, but to effectively utilize the potential of online platforms for national interests.”
