Kazakhstan to restrict social media sign-ups for children under 16
The Kazakh Government has drafted amendments to current legislation on how users under 16 register on online platforms, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced this in response to a parliamentary inquiry.
He said Qurultay deputies are now reviewing the amendments.
Once adopted, the Government will develop specific rules for verifying the age of online platform users.
"The rules will take into account the mechanisms platforms already use, the potential for identification through artificial intelligence, the content users view, and their activity. Online platforms already have the required technological capabilities," Olzhas Bektenov noted.
He cited Meta as an example, noting the company plans to launch an AgeKey system to verify users' ages. The technology works on the passkey principle used for biometric authentication, such as fingerprint and facial recognition.
The Government will allow a transition period to bring in the new requirements. It will also consider temporarily suspending existing accounts of users under 16.
The regulation will be discussed with representatives of online platforms operating in Kazakhstan. The proposed approaches will be based on verifying a user's age without exposing personal data.
"This will protect children's rights and legitimate interests in the digital space and create a safe digital environment for minors," the Prime Minister emphasized.
As Qazinform previously reported, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev supported the initiative to prohibit social media registration for children under 16.
