Azerbaijan emphasized the urgent need for global ethical standards and regulations to govern social media platforms and artificial intelligence technologies. Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, underscored this message at the 4th International Global Media Forum, highlighting the growing challenges that come with rapid technological advancement.
Hajiyev stressed that technological innovation should not be curtailed but must be accompanied by responsibility, particularly to safeguard children and adolescents from harmful online content, cyberbullying, addictive algorithms, and psychological risks. He stressed the importance of protecting society’s most vulnerable without compromising access to information or freedom of expression.
Governments worldwide face a complex dilemma: how to balance digital innovation, safety measures, parental oversight, and individual rights effectively. Hajiyev warned against repeating past mistakes from earlier technological revolutions, which have overlooked ethical considerations. He argued that although halting the progress of artificial intelligence and science is impossible, establishing clear ethical norms and regulatory frameworks is crucial to ensure responsible development.