The United Arab Emirates has set a new precedent in the Arab world by implementing regulations that prevent children under 15 from having personal social media accounts. This groundbreaking move bars young users from engaging in essential social media activities such as posting content, commenting, sharing, interacting with others, or joining public groups and channels.
Social media companies operating within the UAE will have a 12-month window to align with these new rules. They are tasked with establishing robust age-verification systems, which must not rely solely on user-provided age information. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the government to enhance child protection in the digital sphere and encourage the responsible use of technology.
While children under 15 face a complete restriction, teenagers aged 15 and 16 are still permitted to use social media, albeit with heightened safety measures in place. These measures include restrictions on age-sensitive content, controlled interactions with unknown users, tools for parental oversight, and limitations on the time spent using these platforms.
The UAE government emphasized that these regulations are designed to fortify the safety of children online. In addition to the age restrictions, social media platforms will be required to detect and deactivate accounts that belong to users under 15 who are in breach of the new laws.