ABU DHABI (Kashmir English): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the first Arab country to bar children under 15 from using social media.
The Kingdom has set a minimum age of 15 for social media use, introducing such a restriction as governments worldwide seek to address growing concerns over the impact of online platforms on children.
Under a resolution approved, children under 15 will be prohibited from creating, using or operating personal social media accounts.
According to the government’s media office, the ban means the children will not be able to post content, comment, share or join public groups.
Teenagers aged 15 and 16, however, will be allowed to use social media platforms subject to enhanced safeguards, including age-appropriate content controls, restrictions on interaction with unknown users, screen-time management tools and parental supervision features.
All social media platforms operating in the UAE have been asked to follow the rules as companies require to implement robust age-verification measures, including digital identity checks and artificial intelligence-supported technologies. Self-declaration of age will not be accepted as a valid form of verification, according to the officials.
Platforms must also disable accounts created by children under 15, prevent users from circumventing age-verification systems and refrain from using children’s personal data for targeted advertising or behavioural profiling.
The government said the measures were aimed to address concerns over children’s exposure to inappropriate content, unsafe online interactions, excessive social media use and the collection of personal data.
Social media platforms will have up to 12 months to comply with the new regulations.
The Kingdom said the framework aligns with global efforts to strengthen online child protection while balancing digital access with safety.
Several nations have moved to restrict use of social media
Several nations, including Australia and some others in Europe, have moved to tighten restrictions on children’s use of social media amid rising concerns about its effects on mental health and online safety.
