Internet & Online Safety · North Macedonia
Online safety & content laws in North Macedonia (2026)
North Macedonia shaded by its internet & online safety status
North Macedonia has partial online content rules centred on the AVMU, whose mandate was extended to cover on-demand services and video-sharing platforms in line with EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2018/1808. A 2025 amendment to the Law on Media introduced a register of online outlets, but the European Commission notes this falls short of full transparency. No comprehensive online safety or platform-liability law equivalent to the EU DSA has been enacted; the country is an EU accession candidate actively working towards DSA alignment.
Key points
The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU) regulates broadcasters and, following amendments aligned with AVMSD 2018/1808, also on-demand audiovisual services and video-sharing platforms. Obligations include content standards and protection of minors on covered platforms.
Amendments to the Law on Media adopted in 2025 created a register of online media outlets. The European Commission's 2025 enlargement report notes these measures still do not deliver complete transparency to the media landscape and the legislative framework is not fully aligned with the European Media Freedom Act.
North Macedonia does not yet have a domestic Digital Services Act-equivalent. Online content moderation and platform liability remain largely unaddressed by statute. The country participates in EU Commission expert-group workshops on DSA implementation as part of accession preparation, but no implementing legislation had been passed as of mid-2026.
The internet is generally open; North Macedonia ranked 42nd in the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index. Freedom House and RSF note concerns about political influence on media, SLAPPs against journalists, and state-advertising leverage, but no systematic blocking or heavy state censorship of internet access is documented.
A 2022 ITU National Child Online Safety Assessment identified significant gaps: widespread exposure of minors to inappropriate content, limited parental digital literacy, and absence of statutory age-verification obligations for online platforms. No specific age-verification law has been enacted since.
The 2025 EU enlargement report notes North Macedonia is drafting a Law on Security of Network and Information Systems to align with the NIS 2 Directive. Authorities have requested participation in DSA/DMA expert groups, signalling a roadmap toward comprehensive EU digital alignment, though no target date for a full online safety law has been officially confirmed.
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Last verified 5/24/2026 · Orientation, not legal advice - verify against the primary sources linked above. Explore the full world map →