Azerbaijan's parliament backs initial ban on immoral online content

Azerbaijan"s parliament approved at first reading draft legislation that would prohibit the dissemination of online content deemed to show open disrespect for society or to offend public morality.

According to Report, the proposed amendments would revise the Law on Information, Informatization and Information Protection and apply to content published openly on social media platforms and other internet resources.

The bill targets the use of obscene language, gestures conveying similar meaning, and the display of body parts in a manner considered inconsistent with public morality and the country"s national and spiritual values.

Lawmakers cited a rise in unethical posts and calls on social networks that they say undermine social norms and moral standards. The explanatory note argues that such content has a particularly harmful impact on adolescents and young people, shaping distorted patterns of behavior.

The initiative also points to social media algorithms that prioritize highly "viral" material, amplifying the spread of such content.

Its authors say current legislation does not fully cover all categories of harmful information, underscoring the need to clarify liability mechanisms and strengthen protections for children and young people online.