Under the new policy announced on Thursday, social media companies will be required to identify and deactivate accounts belonging to users below the age threshold or face possible sanctions, including restrictions on their operations. Authorities have granted platforms a 12-month period to comply with the new rules.
“The resolution sets the minimum age for social media use at 15 years,” the official WAM news agency said, citing the cabinet resolution.
“Children below this age are prohibited from creating, using, or operating personal accounts on social media platforms.”
The move places the UAE alongside countries such as Australia, Britain and Canada, which have recently adopted stricter controls on children’s access to social networking sites. Australia became the first nation to introduce such a ban for under-16s last December, while Britain unveiled similar measures earlier this week.
Several other nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and a number of European countries, have also taken steps to curb social media use among minors. The UAE, however, is the first Arab country to implement such restrictions.
Governments backing these policies argue that excessive social media use can contribute to mental health challenges, cyberbullying, reduced physical activity, exposure to online predators and addictive behaviour among young users.
Opponents of the restrictions, however, contend that enforcing age-based bans is difficult and may isolate children from important social interactions. They also warn that such measures could push young users towards less regulated online spaces.
According to WAM, the UAE’s latest framework is “closely aligned with leading global trends in digital child protection”.
The regulations prohibit children under 15 from accessing key social media functions, including posting content, interacting with other users, commenting, sharing materials, joining public groups and participating in large-scale online communities.
Teenagers aged between 15 and 16 will still be allowed access to social media platforms, but only under stricter safeguards, including limits on content exposure and restrictions on screen time.
Authorities responsible for regulating media and telecommunications have been empowered to enforce compliance among social media companies