UAE bans social media for children under the age of 15

GULF NEWS - The UAE Cabinet has issued a resolution regulating children's access to social media platforms and sets the minimum age for social media use at 15 years.

The resolution allows social media platforms to progressively implement the new standards through a transitional period of up to 12 months, in coordination with the relevant authorities, ensuring technical and regulatory readiness, the government announced on Thursday.

As per the resolution, children under the age of 15 are prohibited from creating or using personal accounts on social media platforms and shall not be permitted to access their full features.

Children between the ages of 15 and 16 must be provided with regulated and safe access to platforms subject to age-appropriate content classification, restricted interaction, regulated usage time, and parental controls.

Platforms are required to implement accurate and reliable age verification mechanisms. Platforms are also required to monitor non-compliant accounts and take immediate action to enforce compliance, the resolution states.

According to the resolution, parental consent shall not constitute a valid exemption from the prohibitions or restrictions set out in the resolution. That means that even if a parent gives permission, that permission cannot be used to get around the rules in the resolution.

The resolution also prohibits the use or processing of children's personal data for commercial purposes based on the tracking of their digital activities.

That means companies are now not allowed to collect and use children's personal information for business or advertising purposes by monitoring what children do online.

Caregivers are responsible for actively supervising their child's permitted digital activity and promoting awareness of safe and responsible online practices, the resolution states. Therefore, caregivers are obliged to supervise their children online and educate them about safe internet use.

The resolution also provides families with a clear framework and practical tools to help guide children toward more responsible and mindful digital engagement.

Social media platforms have up to a year to gradually apply the new rules while working with the relevant authorities to make sure everything is ready and compliant.