AZE.US
Azerbaijan is debating whether people who give professional advice on social media in sensitive fields such as medicine, law, finance and education should be required to prove their qualifications.
The issue was raised in parliament by Kamal Jafarov, a member of the Milli Majlis Committee on Legal Policy and State-Building. He said social media platforms are increasingly filled with bloggers and influencers who present themselves as experts despite having no relevant education, license or professional background.
According to Jafarov, such people often give mass legal, psychological, medical or financial advice that can mislead the public and cause serious harm.
He said some online figures manipulate young families, push them toward divorce, create unrealistic models of “happy life,” promote the same diet programs to everyone, or offer irresponsible financial recommendations without having the necessary expertise.
Jafarov argued that unfounded advice in such areas can damage people’s physical and mental health and lead to irreversible legal or financial consequences.
Sociologist Uzeyir Shafiyev also supported the idea of tougher rules. He said many people on social media introduce themselves as specialists, gain the trust of users and influence their decisions, even though they are not professionals in the fields they discuss.
According to Shafiyev, people who abuse public trust under the guise of expertise should face legal measures.
The debate in Azerbaijan follows reports about a new rule in China requiring people who provide professional advice online in areas such as medicine, law, finance and education to have relevant diplomas or credentials. According to those reports, posts by unqualified users may be removed, accounts may be blocked and both bloggers and platforms may face penalties.
The question now being discussed in Azerbaijan is whether a similar approach would help fight disinformation or risk limiting freedom of expression.
Journalist and TV presenter Fira Jalilova said there should be certain control mechanisms in areas that directly affect people’s health, rights and financial well-being. However, she warned that the issue should not be solved through blanket bans.
Jalilova said a diploma does not always guarantee accurate information, while the lack of a diploma does not always mean a person has no knowledge. In her view, the key task is to draw a clear line between professional advice and personal opinion.
She said a more balanced model would be to require people who present themselves as experts to verify their qualifications and make that information visible to users.
MP Razi Nurullayev also said the issue requires a careful approach. He noted that misinformation in medicine, law and finance can directly affect people’s lives, rights and welfare. Still, he warned that strict licensing could disrupt the balance between expert opinion, personal experience and public debate.
Nurullayev said such rules could create an environment where only “official opinion” remains visible, while alternative views and public criticism are pushed aside.
He also noted that placing this responsibility on platforms would raise difficult questions. Social media companies would no longer be just technology providers, but would effectively become bodies judging the accuracy of content and the qualifications of users.
Economist Natig Jafarli said Azerbaijan needs to find a “golden balance.” He warned that giving excessive power to regulators could create room for abuse and corruption.
At the same time, Jafarli said people who provide professional advice in high-risk areas should have relevant knowledge. But he added that modern qualifications should not be limited only to traditional university degrees, since international certification programs lasting six months or one year can sometimes provide more practical training than formal education.
The debate is likely to continue as social media becomes a major source of advice for people in Baku and across Azerbaijan. For supporters of regulation, the issue is about protecting citizens from fake experts. For critics, the main concern is that a good intention could turn into another tool for restricting free speech.
AZE.US