The United Arab Emirates has set a new benchmark in the Arab world by enacting regulations that restrict children under 15 from having personal social media accounts. This pioneering move prohibits individuals below this age from engaging with core functionalities of social media platforms, such as posting, commenting, sharing, interacting with others, or joining public groups and channels.
Social media companies operating within the UAE have been allotted a 12-month period to align with these new regulations. The resolution requires these platforms to implement robust age-verification mechanisms, moving away from the current reliance on users self-declaring their ages. This initiative is part of the UAE’s broader strategy to enhance child safety in the digital landscape, ensuring technology is used responsibly.
For those aged 15 and 16, social media use is still allowed but will come with additional safety features. These measures include restrictions on age-inappropriate content, limitations on interactions with strangers, and tools for parental control, alongside controls on the amount of time spent on these platforms. These enhancements aim to provide a safer online environment for older teenagers.
The government articulated that these steps are intended to bolster child protection in the digital sphere. Part of the mandate includes requiring social media companies to identify and deactivate accounts that have been set up in breach of the new age restrictions, ensuring compliance and safeguarding younger users from potential online risks.