Azerbaijan should regulate children's use of social media, minister says

Regulating children's use of social media is important, Azerbaijani Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev said.

Report informs that he made the remarks at a presentation ceremony for a research report titled "Legal awareness of adolescents in Azerbaijan" and the book "Children and Law."

Amrullayev said children are increasingly using social media and various digital tools in the education process.

"If we keep children away from electronic formats, we will not be able to develop as a society. We cannot force children back to traditional methods. For example, it is natural that a child may find interesting and engaging video content more attractive than a traditional textbook. This shows that the way children receive information is changing," he said.

The minister said 50% of children today obtain information through social media.

"Instead of keeping them away from social media platforms and electronic formats, we must be able to regulate this. The state is trying to regulate this area, and it should do so. The main issue here is to ensure proper and effective regulation," he said.

Amrullayev also said many parents in Azerbaijan are unable to spend enough time with their children at home.

"This inevitably affects children's development. Average data also show that children whose parents play different games with them at home and read them bedtime stories have stronger reading comprehension and mathematical skills at school," he said.

He said the main goal should not be to deny this reality, but to assess and manage it properly.

"In the coming years and decades, children's opportunities for digital and electronic learning will expand even further compared with previous generations. Without taking this trend into account and developing policies accordingly, it will not be possible to achieve successful results," the minister said.