The United Arab Emirates has implemented pioneering regulations that bar children under the age of 15 from creating or using personal social media accounts, marking a first for Arab nations in terms of digital safety measures. This new Cabinet resolution restricts those under 15 from engaging with essential social media functions, such as posting content, commenting, sharing, interacting with others, or joining public groups and channels.
Social media companies operating within the UAE have been given a 12-month period to align with the new regulations. They are expected to introduce robust age-verification systems and cannot depend solely on users self-reporting their ages to comply with the law.
For teenagers who are 15 and 16 years old, the use of social media will continue to be allowed but under stricter safety protocols. These include content restrictions appropriate for their age, limitations on interactions with unknown users, tools for parental control, and constraints on the amount of time spent on these platforms.
The government has articulated that this initiative is designed to bolster the protection of children in the digital realm while also promoting a responsible approach to technology use. Social media platforms will be tasked with identifying and suspending accounts that children under the age of 15 have created in violation of these newly established rules.